Effects of Pet Therapy on Pain in Cancer Patients
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Cancer, Cancer, Chronic Pain |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Musculoskeletal, Oncology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 110 |
| Updated: | 12/27/2018 |
| Start Date: | February 4, 2005 |
| End Date: | December 21, 2018 |
The Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Distress in Oncology Patients Being Treated for Pain
This study will examine how animal-assisted therapy (AAT) affects aspects of pain. It will
explore the possible benefits of the National Institutes of Health's AAT program on distress
in cancer patients receiving pain and palliative care at the NIH Clinical Center. A number of
studies on the benefits of patients interacting with companion animals have shown a positive
effect of both pet ownership and AAT for patients with chronic illness. However, few such
experimental studies have been conducted with cancer patients.
Patients 18 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with cancer and have been referred
for consult with NIH's pain and palliative care team and recreation therapy may be eligible
for this study.
Participants have two study sessions, each lasting about 20 minutes on two different days. In
one session, they visit with an animal assistant therapy dog and its handler. In the other
session they engage in a conversation that the patient identifies as non-stressful. Patients
are asked to fill out four forms before and after each session with questions and statements
about their pain, attitude towards pets, symptoms they might be having, and demographic
information, such as age, sex, marital status, and so forth. On four separate occasions, 1
teaspoon of blood is drawn and a swab of saliva is collected from the mouth up to an hour
after the session.
explore the possible benefits of the National Institutes of Health's AAT program on distress
in cancer patients receiving pain and palliative care at the NIH Clinical Center. A number of
studies on the benefits of patients interacting with companion animals have shown a positive
effect of both pet ownership and AAT for patients with chronic illness. However, few such
experimental studies have been conducted with cancer patients.
Patients 18 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with cancer and have been referred
for consult with NIH's pain and palliative care team and recreation therapy may be eligible
for this study.
Participants have two study sessions, each lasting about 20 minutes on two different days. In
one session, they visit with an animal assistant therapy dog and its handler. In the other
session they engage in a conversation that the patient identifies as non-stressful. Patients
are asked to fill out four forms before and after each session with questions and statements
about their pain, attitude towards pets, symptoms they might be having, and demographic
information, such as age, sex, marital status, and so forth. On four separate occasions, 1
teaspoon of blood is drawn and a swab of saliva is collected from the mouth up to an hour
after the session.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the NIH Animal-Assisted Therapy
(AAT) program on distress in oncology patients treated for pain. More than simply a
physiologic or sensory response, pain is multidimensional. Pain management programs are best
developed by selecting interventions based on the individual's pain experience. Strategies
with several courses of action that complement each other may be selected to work together in
a synergistic response to maximize pain relief. The goal of palliative care is to achieve the
highest possible quality of life for patients, and indirectly, their families, through
symptom control and attention to the whole patient: addressing physical, psychosocial, and
emotional dimensions.
Limited research with persons receiving palliative care for cancer indicates that a variety
of complementary interventions can mitigate psychological distress and improve quality of
life (Ernst, 2001). A growing body of literature documenting positive effects of pet
ownership and animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on patients with chronic illnesses warrants
consideration of this type of intervention among the complementary approaches that may
benefit terminally ill cancer patients.
The purpose of the proposed preliminary study is to explore the possible benefits of the
existing NIH AAT program on psychological and physiological distress in cancer patients
referred for pain and palliative care consults at the NIH Clinical Center. The primary
outcome variable of interest is distress. Secondary outcomes of interest are pain intensity,
pain unpleasantness, and use of pain medications. Attitudes towards pets is considered a
moderating variable and will also be assessed.
A pre-post, within-subjects design will be used. Patients will be assigned in randomized
block order to a comparison and treatment condition, administered at the same time of day on
two consecutive days. The treatment condition is 20 minutes of AAT and the comparison
condition is a 20-minute neutral discussion with a Recreational Therapist. All participants
will be adult oncology patients consulted to the pain and palliative care service, and
recreation therapy.
Psychological data will be collected pre and post session by survey instruments; medication
use will be collected every 24 hours; physiological stress will be measured by salivary
cortisol and, for patients with established indwelling catheters only, serum beta-endorphin
levels.
Repeated measures ANOVA will be used to assess the effect of the two conditions (treatment
vs. comparison) on each of the dependent variables. Descriptive statistics will be used to
summarize baseline demographics.
(AAT) program on distress in oncology patients treated for pain. More than simply a
physiologic or sensory response, pain is multidimensional. Pain management programs are best
developed by selecting interventions based on the individual's pain experience. Strategies
with several courses of action that complement each other may be selected to work together in
a synergistic response to maximize pain relief. The goal of palliative care is to achieve the
highest possible quality of life for patients, and indirectly, their families, through
symptom control and attention to the whole patient: addressing physical, psychosocial, and
emotional dimensions.
Limited research with persons receiving palliative care for cancer indicates that a variety
of complementary interventions can mitigate psychological distress and improve quality of
life (Ernst, 2001). A growing body of literature documenting positive effects of pet
ownership and animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on patients with chronic illnesses warrants
consideration of this type of intervention among the complementary approaches that may
benefit terminally ill cancer patients.
The purpose of the proposed preliminary study is to explore the possible benefits of the
existing NIH AAT program on psychological and physiological distress in cancer patients
referred for pain and palliative care consults at the NIH Clinical Center. The primary
outcome variable of interest is distress. Secondary outcomes of interest are pain intensity,
pain unpleasantness, and use of pain medications. Attitudes towards pets is considered a
moderating variable and will also be assessed.
A pre-post, within-subjects design will be used. Patients will be assigned in randomized
block order to a comparison and treatment condition, administered at the same time of day on
two consecutive days. The treatment condition is 20 minutes of AAT and the comparison
condition is a 20-minute neutral discussion with a Recreational Therapist. All participants
will be adult oncology patients consulted to the pain and palliative care service, and
recreation therapy.
Psychological data will be collected pre and post session by survey instruments; medication
use will be collected every 24 hours; physiological stress will be measured by salivary
cortisol and, for patients with established indwelling catheters only, serum beta-endorphin
levels.
Repeated measures ANOVA will be used to assess the effect of the two conditions (treatment
vs. comparison) on each of the dependent variables. Descriptive statistics will be used to
summarize baseline demographics.
- ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
All adult cancer patients enrolled in research protocols who have a pain and palliative
care consult, or a recreation therapy consult at the NIH Clinical Center may be eligible
for the current study. Since the AAT provided at the NIH Clinical Center is generally
available to the heterogeneous cancer population (with the exception of neutropenic
patients) and the primary outcome of interest is distress regardless of the type of cancer,
a heterogenous sample of cancer patients is considered appropriate for this investigation.
While adults are the target population for this pilot study, if results are encouraging,
minors will be considered for inclusion in subsequent studies.
INCLUSION CRITERIA:
- Ability to speak English and read at a 5th grade level
- 18 years of age or older
- Able to give informed consent
- Consulted to pain and palliative care team and Recreation Therapy
- Diagnosis of cancer
Available to be at the CRC on two consecutive days in the morning hours.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
- Interruption of primary protocol
- Allergies to or fear of dogs
- Patient on strict contact, or respiratory isolation restrictions
- Neutropenic patients
We found this trial at
1
site
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
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