Mobility and medical service dogs: a qualitative analysis of expectations and experiences

Rodriguez, Kerri E.; Bibbo, Jessica; Verdon, Savannah; O’Haire, Marguerite E.

doi:10.1080/17483107.2019.1587015

Cited by 22 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…For example, restrictions on bringing the dog into public places and negative attitudes from other people. The findings in our study are consistent with what has been found in previous studies (Camp, 2001 ; Herlache‐Pretzer et al., 2017 ; Rodriguez et al., 2019 ). Rodriguez et al analysed data from a cross‐sectional open‐ended survey.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

“…Rodriguez et al analysed data from a cross‐sectional open‐ended survey. They identified that service dog owners perceived physical and psychosocial benefits but also drawbacks such as public access, lifestyle adjustments and dog behaviour (Rodriguez et al., 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, it has been suggested that assistance dogs improve self‐esteem and have an impact on an individual's psychosocial functioning (Allen & Blascovich, 1996 ; Collins et al., 2006 ). A number of studies have used qualitative methods to explore the use of assistance dogs (Camp, 2001 ; Herlache‐Pretzer et al., 2017 ; Rodriguez, Bibbo, Verdon, & O’Haire, 2019 ). In summary, the studies identified both benefits and drawbacks with having an assistance dog.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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To live with a wagging tailed assistant – Service and hearing dog ownership from the perspective of Swedish owners

Lundqvist

Levin

Alwin

et al. 2020

Health Soc Care Community

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Individuals who have a functional or health impairment, are often in great need of conventional healthcare, social care and support, as well as help from family and friends. The use of dogs may be an important assistive support for this population. Assistance dogs are trained to assist with their owners’ specific needs. The aim of this study is to explore service and hearing dog ownership from the owner´s perspective, by examining the owner's expectations before training a dog, and experiences after having a certified dog. This study was designed as a longitudinal intervention study with pre‐post design. The participants included in the study trained their own dogs to become service or hearing dogs. A number of open‐ended questions were answered by the participants before the training of the dog started, three months after the dog was certified, and 1–3 years after the first follow‐up. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The participants’ expectations of what the dog would contribute after being certified was high. Their perceived experiences in many ways reflected their expectations. For example, they perceived that the dog contributed to improved health status, a more active lifestyle, improved ability to feel secure, and that they had become more independent. They also felt that the dog had strengthened their social relationships. Negative experiences were also identified. Not being allowed to bring their dog into public places and negative attitudes from other people were examples of this. This study shows that individuals being supported by an assistance dog experience the dog as an invaluable help in their everyday life. By improving the owners’ lives in many ways, a certified service or hearing dog is a novel and important assistive support for people with a functional or health impairment.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

To live with a wagging tailed assistant – Service and hearing dog ownership from the perspective of Swedish owners

Lundqvist

Levin

Alwin

et al. 2020

Health Soc Care Community

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“…Even though not everything relating to the dog was positive, none of the participants said it was not worth it. Several of the identified themes in our study are consistent with themes identified in other studies [96,98,99]. Camp et al explored five physical service dog owners' experiences of their dog through an ethnographic approach.…”

Section: The Value Of Using Dogs As Assistive Aids and In Healthcaresupporting

confidence: 87%

“…In concordance with Camp et al and our study, they identified psychosocial benefits of having a service dog. The participants perceived that the dog also contributed to drawbacks such as public access, lifestyle adjustments and negative attitudes from other people [98]. Herlache-Pretzer et al used a qualitative descriptive methodological to identify experiences of having a service dog.…”

Section: The Value Of Using Dogs As Assistive Aids and In Healthcarementioning

confidence: 99%

Health Technology Assessment of Assistance Dogs and Dog-Assisted Interventions

Lundqvist

2020

Linköping University Medical Dissertations

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Dogs as an assistive aid for people with disabilities date as far back in time as the first century CE. Today, dogs are used in various settings to help and assist humans. 'Assistance dogs' is an umbrella term for guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs. They are custom trained to help and support their owners in their everyday life and thereby give them greater independence. Dogs who perform dog-assisted interventions are another type of working dog, where the dog and the owner work together as a team visiting people with various needs in different settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. These visits aim to strengthen people's inner motivation, using the dog as an external motivator. There is a lack of evaluations of working dogs in the health technology assessment context, and in the health economic evaluation context. Hence, there is a need for structured analyses that include both the short-and long-term effects and the costs of assistance dogs and dog-assisted interventions.The overall aim of this thesis is to explore and assess the use of assistance dogs and dog-assisted interventions.The research questions were investigated using a variety of methods. In paper I, inferential statistical analysis was used to analyse patient-reported outcomes measures. In paper II, a thematic content analysis was employed to explore the experiences of service and hearing dogs. To study the long-term cost-effectiveness of physical service dogs and diabetes alert dogs, a decision analytic model was used in paper III. The input data in studies I, II, and III was obtained from the Service and Hearing Dog Project. In paper III, the data was also supplemented with information from published literature and expert opinions. Paper IV investigated the effects and cost-effectiveness of dog-assisted interventions, and takes the form of a systematic review.Paper I showed that a service or hearing dog have positive impact on its owner's health-related quality of life, well-being and activity level. Paper II showed that owners of service or hearing dogs experienced both positive physical and psychosocial effects from their dog. Negative experiences were also identified, for example being denied access to public places and negative attitudes from other people. Paper III showed that physical service dogs and diabetes alert dogs are cost-effective in comparison with regular companion dogs, resulting in both lower costs and a gain in QALYs. The one-way sensitivity analysis did not change the results, but the probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the results were uncertain. Synthesizing Lars-Åke Levin, my supervisor, for generously sharing your great knowledge and experiences. For all the time you put into reading my work and guiding me forward. Your encouragement and praise have made me grow, both professionally and personally. Jenny Alwin, my co-supervisor, for being genuinely supportive and for teaching me the importance of being accurate and transparent. Your door has always been open, and you have always shown great confid...

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Results in the Existing Literature

Bennett,

Goodall

2024

The Role That Assistance Dogs Play in Supporting People With Disabilities

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Mobility and medical service dogs: a qualitative analysis of expectations and experiences

Cited by 22 publications

References 30 publications

To live with a wagging tailed assistant – Service and hearing dog ownership from the perspective of Swedish owners

To live with a wagging tailed assistant – Service and hearing dog ownership from the perspective of Swedish owners

Health Technology Assessment of Assistance Dogs and Dog-Assisted Interventions

Results in the Existing Literature

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