Abstract: FR-PO439
"A Ray of Hope": A Qualitative Study of Hemodialysis Patients' Attitudes Toward a Clinic-Based Animal-Assisted Intervention
Session Information
- Hemodialysis: Quality of Life, Symptoms, Palliative Care
November 03, 2023 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Pennsylvania Convention Center
Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Category: Dialysis
- 801 Dialysis: Hemodialysis and Frequent Dialysis
Authors
- Stensland, Meredith L., The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Elorriaga, Adrian E., US Renal Care Inc, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Block, Martha, US Renal Care Inc, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Block, Geoffrey A., US Renal Care Inc, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Mcgeary, Don Douglas, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Flaman, Jacie, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Lugosi, Selena, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States
Background
Adherence to one’s hemodialysis [HD] regimen is paramount to overall health and well-being for individuals receiving HD in the U.S. Patients may struggle maintaining the strenuous regimen, and ways to effectively reduce rates of missed treatments are needed. The purpose of this study was to explore HD patients’ attitudes toward a clinic-based animal-assisted intervention [AAI].
Methods
HD patients from 4 outpatient clinics engaged in 1-on-1 in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interviews took place at the dialysis clinics, including while patients were dialyzing. Within a framework of iterative content analysis, the Matrix Method was utilized in combination with line-by-line coding to thematically analyze data.
Results
Twenty patients aged 57 ± 7.93 years participated in interviews. Their narratives collectively illustrate the perceived value of AAI in the HD setting. Under the larger theme “Therapy dogs are a source of hope”, there are 4 subthemes: (i) The dread and suffering of endless treatment; (ii) Yearning for the presence of therapy dogs at the clinic; (iii) Therapy dogs can aid in the internal battle of treatment adherence; (iv) The logistics of incorporating therapy dogs into the HD care routine.
Conclusion
This study improves our understanding of how HD patients feel about receiving clinic-based therapy dog visits while also offering helpful insights for implementing this intervention in future research. Incorporating therapy dogs into HD patients’ healthcare routine may offer a complementary and integrative approach to improving patient outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of patient-centered care for this population.