Journal article
Therapeutic and Economic Benefits of Service Dogs Versus Emotional Support Dogs for Veterans With PTSD
Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.), Vol.74(8), pp.790-800
08/01/2023
DOI: 10.1176/appis.ps.20220138
PMID: 36718602
Abstract
Objective: This work aimed to assess the therapeutic and economic benefits of service dogs versus emotional support dogs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods: Veterans with PTSD (N=227) participating in a multicenter trial were randomly assigned to receive a service or emotional support dog; 181 veterans received a dog and were followed up for 18 months. Primary outcomes included overall functioning (assessed with World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale II [WHODAS 2.0]) and quality of life (Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey [VR-12]). Secondary outcomes included PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5), suicidal ideation, depression, sleep quality, health care costs and utilization, medication adherence, employment, and productivity.Results: Participants paired with a dog had a mean +/- SD age of 50.6 +/- 13.6 years (range 22-79), and most were male (80%), White (66%), and non-Hispanic (91%). Adjusted linear mixed repeated-measures models indicated no difference between the two groups on WHODAS 2.0 or VR-12 scores. Participants with service dogs had a 3.7-point greater reduction in PTSD symptoms versus participants with emotional support dogs (p=0.036). No reduced health care utilization or cost was associated with receiving a service dog. Veterans with service dogs had an increase of 10 percentage points in antidepressant adherence compared with those with emotional support dogs (p<0.01).Conclusions: Both groups appeared to benefit from having a service or emotional support dog. No significant differences in improved functioning or quality of life were observed between the groups. Those in the service dog group had a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms and better antidepressant adherence, improvements that should be explored further.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Therapeutic and Economic Benefits of Service Dogs Versus Emotional Support Dogs for Veterans With PTSD
- Creators
- Joan T. Richerson - US Dept Vet Affairs VA, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Syst, Nashville, TN USATodd H. Wagner - Menlo SchoolThad Abrams - University of IowaKelly Skelton - Atlanta VA Med Ctr, Atlanta, GA USAKousick Biswas - Perry Point Baltimore Coordinating Ctr, Cooperat Studies Program, Off Res & Dev, Maryland, VA 21902 USASamantha Illarmo - Menlo SchoolFrances McSherry - Perry Point Baltimore Coordinating Ctr, Cooperat Studies Program, Off Res & Dev, Maryland, VA 21902 USAMichael T. Fallon - Atlanta VA Med Ctr, Atlanta, GA USAAustin Frakt - Boston UniversitySteven Pizer - Boston UniversityKathryn M. Magruder - University of South CarolinaShirley Groer - VA Off Res & Dev, Washington, DC USAPatricia A. Dorn - VA Off Res & Dev, Washington, DC USAGrant D. Huang - VA Off Res & Dev, Washington, DC USAEileen M. Stock - Perry Point Baltimore Coordinating Ctr, Cooperat Studies Program, Off Res & Dev, Maryland, VA 21902 USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.), Vol.74(8), pp.790-800
- Publisher
- Amer Psychiatric Publishing, Inc
- DOI
- 10.1176/appis.ps.20220138
- PMID
- 36718602
- ISSN
- 1075-2730
- eISSN
- 1557-9700
- Number of pages
- 11
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; General Internal Medicine; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984502956202771
Metrics
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