A multicenter study of animal-assisted activity and anxiety among older adults hospitalized in acute care settings

• Published in: Applied nursing research Vol. 60; p. 151447
• Main Authors: Kowalski, Mildred Ortu, Smith, Carnette, Cole, Donna A., Bersick, Eileen, Keleekai-Brapoh, Nowai, Panfile, Patricia, Abate, Sami V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Animal-assisted activity; Anxiety; Geriatrics; Nursing; Pet therapy; Pet therapy; Anxiety; Animal-assisted activity; Geriatrics
• ISSN: 0897-1897; 1532-8201
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2021.151447

For older adults (≥65 years old), hospitalization can be a stressful and anxiety- provoking event. Due to physiological changes in this population that make pharmacological therapy to manage anxiety challenging, use of alternative therapies, such as animal-assisted activities (AAA), could prove beneficial. The purpose of this study was to determine if an AAA visit from a registered human-animal team during hospitalization would reduce perceived anxiety for older adults. A multicenter, interventional, comparative, pre-post design was used. Eligible participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory 6-item short form (STAI-6) survey prior to the AAA visit. AAA visits included interaction between the human-animal team and the participant at the bedside. At the conclusion of the visit, participants again completed the STAI-6. Demographic variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were performed using non-parametric tests to examine differences in pre-post STAI-6 scores. Participants (n = 141) had a median age of 75 years. The pre-visit median anxiety score was 14 (interquartile range [IQR] 10, 17), corresponding to mild baseline anxiety. The post-visit median anxiety score decreased significantly to 10 (IQR 7, 13) (p < 0.001). Weak associations were observed for gender (p = 0.025, r = 0.0189), and dog ownership (p = 0.026, r = 0.188). AAA significantly decreased anxiety in older adults with mild anxiety during inpatient hospitalization. This non-pharmacological intervention can be considered as an alternative intervention for anxiety in this population. •Animal-assisted activity is a scientific term for human and animal interactions.•Animal-assisted activities are options to reduce anxiety in older adult (≥65 years old) patients.•Even short visits with dogs (~10–15 min) can reduce anxiety.•Role of gender and dog ownership warrant further exploration.