Animal‐assisted interventions in adult hospital rehabilitation settings: A scoping review

Abstract

AbstractAnimal‐assisted interventions (AAIs) have the potential to enhance people's well‐being and function and are increasingly being implemented across a range of settings. This scoping review explored how AAIs have been used in adult hospital rehabilitative care. Using JBI and PRISMA‐ScR guidelines, a systematic search of four databases was undertaken. Inclusion criteria involved adults, aged >18 years, who had received AAIs in the hospital rehabilitation setting. Twenty‐two articles met the inclusion criteria. Results identified two intervention types: visitation activities (n = 8 studies) and structured therapeutic interventions (n = 14 studies). Dogs were the most common animal species. Improvements in social and emotional well‐being were reported across both types of interventions, with improvements in ambulation, motor skills, and verbal communication reported by those engaged in structured therapeutic interventions. Implementation challenges included a dependency on volunteer dog‐handlers; the need for better recording of interventions in medical records to enable evaluation; and cost, safety, infection control, and animal welfare considerations. Strengthening the planning of AAIs is fundamental for the realization of potential outcomes from human–animal interactions in hospital rehabilitative care.