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Facility dog intervention and young children's anxiety during outpatient echocardiography
Leslie Grissim1, Spencer Shreeve1, Briana P Keller2
1Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN, USA.
Insights
Facility dogs significantly reduced anxiety in young children undergoing echocardiograms. This intervention was well-received by families and staff, offering a promising approach to pediatric cardiac care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Child Psychology
- Animal-Assisted Interventions
Background:
- Over 1 million children in the U.S. have heart conditions, requiring frequent medical care.
- Minimizing the long-term impacts of repeated medical surveillance is crucial for pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of facility dog intervention on anxiety in young children during outpatient echocardiograms.
- To assess the relationship between facility dogs and children's emotional state during cardiac procedures.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental study involving 70 children (18 months to 8 years) undergoing echocardiograms.
- Child anxiety was measured pre- and post-procedure using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale.
- Facility dog intervention included play, therapeutic conversation, touch, and emotional support.
Main Results:
- Child anxiety levels were significantly lower after the procedure compared to before (p < .001).
- Children with prior echocardiogram history showed higher pre-procedural anxiety (p = .015).
- Caregivers (97.2%) and staff (87.9%) found the facility dog intervention helpful.
Conclusions:
- Facility dog intervention effectively reduced anxiety in young children during outpatient echocardiography.
- The intervention was positively perceived by families and staff, with no noted workflow disruptions.
- Facility dog programs represent a promising and well-received innovation for vulnerable pediatric populations.
Background And Objectives:
With more than 1 million children in the United States living with a heart defect or condition, it is important to identify interventions that may minimise the long-term impacts of repeated medical surveillance and care. Thus, the purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine relationships between facility dog intervention and young children's anxiety during outpatient echocardiogram.
Methods:
Participants were seventy children aged 18 months to 8 years undergoing echocardiogram in a paediatric cardiology clinic. Child anxiety was scored by a trained nurse observer pre- and post-procedure using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale. Facility dog intervention included individualised play, positioning, therapeutic conversation and touch, and emotional support throughout to promote coping and compliance. Parents and staff completed a post-procedural perceptions survey about their experiences.
Results:
Paired samples t-tests demonstrated child anxiety levels were significantly lower post-procedure compared to pre-procedure (Z = -3.974, p < .001). This direction held for nearly all participants; however, those with prior echocardiogram history demonstrated significantly higher anxiety levels at the pre-procedural timepoint (z = -2.442, p = .015). Caregivers (97.2%) and staff (87.9%) agreed or strongly agreed that facility dog intervention was helpful in this context.
Conclusions:
Facility dog intervention was associated with a significant reduction in young children's anxiety across procedural timepoints in outpatient echocardiography. The intervention was perceived as helpful by families and staff; no workflow changes or barriers were noted. Thus, facility dog intervention may be a well-received and promising care innovation for this vulnerable chronic population.
