PIH21 A Targeted Review of Studies on Canine Animal Assisted Therapy in Paediatric Oncology Patients

Abstract

Cancer diagnosis in children and the subsequent treatments pose tremendous psychosocial challenges to the child and family. In children, therapy dogs have been shown to decrease distress during painful medical procedures, promote calmness, and improve pain perception. Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is defined as therapy involving a patient and either an animal therapist or handler. We performed a targeted review of studies on the effects of canine AAT in paediatric oncology patients. Search strategies were developed to identify publications reporting the effects of canine AAT on paediatric oncology patients. Searches were performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE and by hand-searching. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified and key data were extracted. A total of 11 studies were identified: two randomised controlled trials (RCTs), three pilot RCTs, one pilot study, two quasi-experimental interventions, one multi-site study-specific survey, one descriptive study and one qualitative observational study. Primary outcome measures were mostly qualitative, including self-administered evaluation questionnaires, child behavioural scales, child graphics analysis, study specific surveys, patient self-reports, and parent-caregiver reports. Two studies measured clinical stress indicators: cortisol levels, heart rate and blood pressure. AAT was reported to result in a variety of positive physical and psychological outcomes such as reduced anxiety, fear, and stress, as well as improved well-being and mood. The studies identified in this review demonstrate canine AAT can improve paediatric oncology patient and caregiver well-being, but are limited in scope, sample size and inclusion of a comparator. Outcome measures varied substantially. Although the evidence on use of AAT in paediatric oncology patients has limitations, the results are promising. Increasing the scientific substantiation of AAT in comparative studies with larger samples using established patient reported outcome measures is recommended to enable it to be systemised as a part of routine healthcare protocols.