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A Pilot Study to Examine the Impact of a Therapy Dog Intervention on Loneliness and Related Health Outcomes in Vulnerable Populations

NCT05089201 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 72

Last updated 2024-04-12

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to test whether an animal-assisted interaction (AAI) intervention is better than conversation with another person or treatment as usual for improving mood, anxiety, loneliness, quality of life, and indicators of health care services such as number of hospitalizations, length of hospital stay, and cost of services. Participants will be patients admitted for an inpatient stay at Virginia Commonwealth University Health who meet the study entry requirements.

Conditions

  • Loneliness
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Quality of Life

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Animal-assisted interaction

A dog-handler team or a handler alone will visit participants with a dog for approximately 20 minutes on 3 consecutive days during their inpatient hospital stay

BEHAVIORAL

Conversational control

A handler alone will visit participants without a dog for approximately 20 minutes on 3 consecutive days during their inpatient hospital stay

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Waltham Petcare Science Institute

    collaborator UNKNOWN

  • Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)

    collaborator UNKNOWN

  • Virginia Commonwealth University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Nancy R. Gee, PhD · Virginia Commonwealth University

  • Lisa Townsend, PhD · Virginia Commonwealth University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-11-16
Primary Completion
2024-01-31
Completion
2024-01-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05089201 on ClinicalTrials.gov