Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Trauma Patient's Willingness to Participate in Ambulation
Andrew Bernard
Summary
This study looks at whether walking with a therapy dog helps adult and pediatric trauma patients move more during their hospital stay. Early movement after an injury or surgery can prevent problems such as blood clots, pressure sores, and muscle loss, but pain and anxiety often make it hard for patients to get out of bed. Each patient in this study takes part in two walking sessions-one with a certified therapy dog and one without a dog. The order is randomized, so some patients walk with the dog first and others walk without the dog first. Before and after each walk, patients fill out short surveys about their pain, anxiety, and motivation to move. The research team measures how far and how long each patient walks in both sessions. The goal of this project is to see if therapy dog visits can safely and effectively improve mobility, reduce pain and anxiety, and make walking more enjoyable for trauma patients. Findings from this study may help hospitals design better rehabilitation programs that use animal-assisted therapy to support physical and emotional recovery.
Description
Early mobilization after traumatic injury is a key component of recovery and is associated with reduced complications, shorter hospital stays, and improved functional outcomes. However, trauma patients frequently experience significant barriers to early ambulation, including pain, anxiety, fatigue, and psychological distress following injury and surgery. Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have demonstrated benefits in reducing pain and anxiety, enhancing mood, and improving patient motivation in various hospital settings. Despite these findings, limited research has examined the role of thera…