Preliminary findings on how therapy dogs help in the emergency department by Alexandria Pavelich

Alexandria, PhD Student in One Health & Wellness, presents preliminary findings from the on-going MHRC-SHRF funded study happening at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon entitled: “Better than any medicine:” Understanding if and how therapy dog-handler teams benefit emergency department patients with mental health concerns. This presentation, jointly authored by Pavelich, A., McKenzie, H., Dell, C., Stempien, J., Laliberte, L., Arisman, K., Smith, J., Hozack, A., Tupper, S., Acoose, S., Gunderson, J., & Pease, E., was presented on behalf of Congress 2023 | FHSS – the Canadian Sociological Association: Intervention-Focused Research in Mental Health Panel on June 2, 2023 at York University in Toronto, Ontario. ABSTRACT: Across Canada, a high proportion of emergency department (ED) visits are directly related to patients seeking assistance for mental health and problematic substance use, where patients also report experiences of stigmatization and isolation while attempting to access care in the ED setting. Currently, there is limited data exploring the patient experience whilst seeking assistance in a mental health-focused ED, but the existing literature also reflects a need for innovative social supports relevant to diverse populations. Ample research has documented the positive effects animal-assisted intervention can have in various medical settings, and our team’s research has recently shown the benefits of therapy dog-handler teams (TDTs) in improving the overall ED experience for patients presenting with pain. As such, our forthcoming research aims to generate and mobilize knowledge about how TDTs can support individuals with concerns related to mental health (including substance use) within a mental-health focused ED to inform healthcare practices, policy, and future research. A community-based endeavour alongside St. John Ambulance, our project aims to better understand how TDTs may positively impact the patient experience for those presenting with mental health concerns to the ED, and the “work” involved by TDTs, who may foster a more positive ED environment for patients and staff. Funded by Mental Health Research of Canada, this student-led study will utilize a critical sociological analytic lens, with the researchers employing a methodological approach grounded in institutional ethnography. TDTs will be visiting with n=30 patients presenting with mental health concerns to a Saskatchewan-based ED to conduct ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews beginning February 2023. The participant-oriented study will begin with the standpoint of the patient as its first point of entry and will be the first study of its kind to directly explore the perspective of the therapy dog handler – who will also be interviewed during the research process (n=7) - as they may directly impact the patient and staff experience.