The impact of service and hearing dogs on health-related quality of life and activity level: a Swedish longitudinal intervention study

Abstract

BackgroundIndividuals with severe disability often require personal assistance and help from informal caregivers, in addition to conventional health care. The utilization of assistance dogs may decrease the need for health and social care and increase the independence of these individuals. Service and hearing dogs are trained to assist specific individuals and can be specialized to meet individual needs. The aim of this study was to describe and explore potential consequences for health-related quality of life, well-being and activity level, of having a certified service or hearing dog.MethodsA longitudinal interventional study with a pre-post design was conducted. At inclusion, all participants in the study had a regular (untrained) companion dog. Data were collected before training of the dog started and three months after certification of the dog. Health-related quality of life was assessed with EQ-5D-3L, EQ-VAS and RAND-36. Well-being was measured with WHO-5 and self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. In addition, questions were asked about physical activity and time spent away from home and on social activities. Subgroups were analyzed for physical service and diabetes alert dogs.ResultsFifty-five owner-and-dog pairs completed the study (30 physical service dogs, 20 diabetes alert dogs, 2 epilepsy alert dogs, and 3 hearing dogs). Initially, study participants reported low health-related quality of life compared with the general population. At follow-up, health-related quality of life measured with the EQ-VAS, well-being and level of physical activity had improved significantly. In the subgroup analysis, physical service dog owners had lower health-related quality of life than diabetes alert dog owners. The improvement from baseline to follow-up measured with EQ-5D statistically differed between the subgroups.ConclusionsThe target population for service and hearing dogs has an overall low health-related quality of life. Our study indicates that having a certified service or hearing dog may have positive impact on health-related quality of life, well-being and activity level. Service and hearing dogs are a potentially important “wagging tail aid” for this vulnerable population, able to alleviate strain, increase independence, and decrease the risk of social isolation.Trial RegistrationThe trial was retrospectively registered in http://clinicaltrial.gov, NCT03270592. September, 2017.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3014-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Certified service dogs – A cost-effectiveness analysis appraisal

“…Our model estimated the marginal cost and the effects of adding certified dogs to hypothetical persons who matched the population of the individuals in the Swedish “service and hearing dog project” 2009–2014 [5]. The costs were calculated in Swedish kronor (SEK) and converted to 2017 US dollars (USD) using the exchange rate of 1 USD = 8.538 SEK (year 2017 mean exchange rate).…”

“…The main data source for the analysis was the “service and hearing dog project” reported in detail in previous publication [5]. In short, the “service and hearing dog project” was a longitudinal interventional study with a pre-post design where dog owners and their companion dogs were included.…”

“…In a previous study measuring the short-term effects of a certified service or hearing dog, it was shown that certified dogs tend to improve their owners’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [5]. Consequently, there is reason to believe that the skills of the dog and the collaboration and attachment between the owner and the dog can develop over time and have positive long-term effects.…”

“…In the present study we set out to make a first attempt at using health-economic decision modeling to provide information on the cost effectiveness of certified dogs. Findings from our previous study showed that the service and hearing dog owners where a heterogonous group [5]. Therefore this study will focus on the physical service dog and the diabetes alert dog owners only.…”

Assistance Dogs for Persons with Hearing Impairment: A Review

“…The target population for assistance dogs has an overall low health-related quality of life 11 . Certified assistance animals represent a potentially important aid for this vulnerable population, able to alleviate strain, increase independence, and decrease the risk of social isolation 12 .…”