Therapy Dog Visits for Patients Hospitalized With Traumatic Injuries

Part of paid clinical trials in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sponsor
Boston Medical Center
Study ID
NCT06812247
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Therapy dog visits — OTHER
    2-3 ten-minute visits by a trained therapy dog and the dog's handler
  • Dog handler visits — OTHER
    2-3 ten-minute visits by a dog handler

Study Details

Animal assisted therapy (AAT) with dogs has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of patients with both acute and chronic illnesses, including spinal cord injuries, heart failure, myocardial infarctions, strokes, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Studies have also demonstrated that even in healthy adults, the presence of dogs is associated with physiologic changes such as increased pain threshold, decreased blood pressure, and decreased heart rate. However, few studies have investigated the role of AAT in the post-operative course in adults. This study will investigate the impact of therapy dog visits on pain and anxiety scores for trauma patients at Boston Medical Center (BMC).

Key Dates

Start date
Jun 4, 2025
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026
Completion
Dec 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
80 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Arms

  • Experimental: Therapy dog visits
    Participants randomized into this arm will receive visits from a therapy dog and their handler during hospitalization.
  • Active Comparator: Dog handler visits
    Participants randomized into this arm will receive visits from a dog handler during hospitalization.

Primary Outcome Measure

Participants' pain assessed with a numeric analog score [ Time Frame: 24 hours after the last study visit ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Boston Medical Center, Trauma Inpatient ServiceBostonMassachusetts02118
Sabrina Sanchez, MD MPH
[email protected]
617-414-4861
Sara Myers, MD
[email protected]
617 638 9191

Find similar trials in Boston, MA

By condition
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By specialty
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By research site
Boston Medical Center, Trauma Inpatient Service· Boston, MA

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