Developing and Planning a Protocol for Implementing Health Promoting Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) in a Tertiary Health Setting

M. Anne Hamilton-Bruce, Janette Young, Carmel Nottle, Susan J. Hazel, Austin G. Milton, Sonya McDowall (), Ben Mani and Simon Koblar
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M. Anne Hamilton-Bruce: Stroke Research Programme, Basil Hetzel Institute, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville South 5011, Australia
Janette Young: Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Carmel Nottle: Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Susan J. Hazel: School of Animal and Veterinary Science, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, Roseworthy 5371, Australia
Austin G. Milton: Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
Sonya McDowall: School of Animal and Veterinary Science, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, Roseworthy 5371, Australia
Ben Mani: Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Simon Koblar: Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 18, 1-25

Abstract: The Ottawa Charter identifies that multiple levels of government, non-government, community, and other organizations should work together to facilitate health promotion, including in acute settings such as hospitals. We outline a method and protocol to achieve this, namely an Action Research (AR) framework for an Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) in a tertiary health setting. Dogs Offering Support after Stroke (DOgSS) is an AR study at a major tertiary referral hospital. AAI has been reported to improve mood and quality of life for patients in hospitals. Our project objectives included applying for funding, developing a hospital dog visiting Action Research project, and, subsequent to ethics and governance approvals and finance, undertaking and reporting on the Action Research findings. The Action Research project aimed to investigate whether AAI (dog-visiting) makes a difference to the expressed mood of stroke patients and their informal supports (visiting carers/family/friends), and also the impact these visits have on hospital staff and volunteers, as well as the dog handler and dog involved. We provide our protocol for project management and operations, setting out how the project is conducted from conception to assess human and animal wellbeing and assist subsequent decision-making about introducing dog-visiting to the Stroke Unit. The protocol can be used or adapted by other organizations to try to avoid pitfalls and support health promotion in one of the five important action areas of the Ottawa Charter, namely that of reorienting health services.

Keywords: Animal Assisted Interventions; health service organization; action research; human welfare; animal welfare; One Health/Welfare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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