Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is shown to be an effective method to foster neurorehabilitation. However, no studies investigate long-term effects of AAT in patients with acquired brain injuries. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to investigate if and how AAT affects long-term episodic memory using a mixed-method approach. Eight patients rated pictures of therapy sessions with and without animals that they attended two years ago. Wilcoxon tests calculated differences in patients’ memory and experienced emotions between therapy sessions with or without animals. We also analyzed interviews of six of these patients with qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Patients remembered therapy sessions in the presence of an animal significantly better and rated them as more positive compared to standard therapy sessions without animals (Z = −3.21, p = 0.002, g = 0.70; Z = −2.75, p = 0.006, g = 0.96). Qualitative data analysis resulted in a total of 23 categories. The most frequently addressed categories were “Positive emotions regarding animals” and “Good memory of animals”. This pilot study provides first evidence that AAT might enhance episodic memory via positive emotions in patients with acquired brain injury.

Auf der Suche nach Erklärungen für den "gender gap" in den unterschiedlichen Lebenserwartungen von Männern und Frauen geraten vermehrt Zusammenhänge von Gesundheitshandeln und Geschlechterkonstruktionen in den Blick. Der Artikel präsentiert Ergebnisse einer qualitativen Interview-Studie mit 40 (Schweizer) Männern zwischen 30 und 60 Jahren zu subjektiven Gesundheitsvorstellungen und Gesundheitshandeln. Entlang ausgewählter Thematisierungsweisen zu Leistungsfähigkeit, der Bedeutung von körperlicher Fitness, dem Umgang mit Gefühlen und mit Schmerz analysiert der Beitrag Zusammenhänge zwischen Gesundheitsvorstellungen und alten und neuen Männlichkeitskonstruktionen.

We are a group of social scientists from Austria, Germany and Switzerland who drew attention to the care crisis in a cross-national ‘Care manifesto’ as early as 2013. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become impossible to overlook the crisis of care and we believe this provides an opportunity to correct serious shortcomings in the care sector. That is why we are putting forward a new position paper ‐ ‘Clean up time! Redesigning care after COVID-19’ ‐ aiming at identifying problems in the wake of the pandemic and suggesting goals, as well as the next work packages. We ask you to consider the demands in the position paper, disseminate it and discuss it in your networks and communities. Both the English and German versions are available on our website (see: <uri xlink:href="https://care-macht-mehr.com/">https://care-macht-mehr.com/</uri>).

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