Page 429 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

396 n PeT THeRAPY

chronic cases” (Nightingale, 1969; Serpell, family member, and a confidant (Beck &
2006). In 1962, child psychiatrist Boris Hatcher, 2003). For individuals with a human
P levinson used his own dog, Jingles, to help social support deficit, pets can moderate an
him connect with hard-to-reach children and intimacy with other humans. For the elderly
adolescents. He published his findings “The who live alone, animals play a positive role
Dog as the Co-therapist” in the journal of in the improvement of life satisfaction, sense
Mental Hygiene (levinson, 1962). of purpose, and feelings of personal safety
In 1988, at the National Institutes of compared with non–pet owners (Beck &
Health Technology Assessment Workshop Hatcher, 2003).
on the Health Benefits of Pets, major evi- In using dogs therapeutically, even one
dence was reported indicating that pet own- session of 30 minutes per week has been
ers had an increase in 1-year survival rates demonstrated to be clinically significant in
after being discharged from a coronary care reducing feelings of loneliness per patient
unit (Beck & Hatcher, 2003; Morrison, 2007), self-reports. Other measured benefits include
demonstrating that pet ownership is a sig- decreased blood pressure and heart rate as
nificant social predictor of 1-year survival well as an increased peripheral skin temper-
for post coronary patients studied. Ten years ature (McCabe, Baun, Speich, & Sangeeta,
later, in a clinical trial ancillary study to the 2002). Patients with Alzheimer’s disease who
Coronary Arrhythmia Suppression Trial by have an attachment to a companion animal
the National Institutes of Health, research- have fewer mood disorders and fewer epi-
ers reported that pet owners had slightly sodes of anxiety and aggression compared
lower systolic blood pressures, plasma with those without a loved pet (McCabe
cholesterol, and triglyceride values than et al., 2002).
non–pet owners (Beck & Hatcher, 2003). From a physical health perspective,
Combined, the study purports that because individuals with companion animals have
of pet ownership’s influence of psychosocial a lower frequency of primary care visits
risk factors, having a loved pet reduces the (Siegel, 1990). Stressful life situations con-
incidence of cardiovascular disease (Beck & tribute to higher physician visitation rates
Hatcher, 2003). because of the stressors interconnectedness
Benefits of AAT/AAA have demon- with psychological distresses. The more
strated both physical and fiscal outcomes. stressors experienced, the greater attention
employing the use of animals has been paid and significance attributed to physi-
shown to be a cost effective intervention ological symptoms, thus more trips to the
in a variety of health care settings through family physician. Individuals encountering
shorter hospital stays, reduction in need for meaningful interactions with animals saw
medication and an increase in food con- improved moods and faster recovery times
sumption resulting in a decrease in need (Coakley & Mahoney, 2009).
for supplements. A study conducted in New Feelings of loneliness and isolation are
York, Missouri, and Texas showed that in common in residential facilities—whether in
nursing homes where animals and plants are prisons, youth detention centers, hospitals,
an integral part of the environment, medica- nursing homes, or assisted living. The physi-
tion costs dropped from an average of $3.80 cal separation from loved ones (through spou-
per patient per day to just $1.18 per patient sal loss, loss of home) often triggers the onset
per day (Geisler, 2004). of loneliness and the need for social relation-
Animals also provide the necessary ships (Banks & Banks, 2002; Geisler, 2004).
social support as well as increase the fre- Residents in nursing homes who received
quency of this type of support to individu- regular pet visits had lower scores for loneli-
als who consider their pet to be a friend, a ness than those with a low level or no contact