The Effect of Live Cat and Simulation Cat Therapies on Oncology Patients

NCT06280612 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: RCS10042023
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

It is known that animals are good for humans physiologically and psychologically. Therefore, in this study, the effects of live cat and robotic cat therapies on the symptoms and happiness levels of oncology patients after chemotherapy were examined.

Conditions

Therapy-Associated Cancer; Cancer Patient; Happiness; Symptoms

Keywords

pet therapy; cancer patient; happiness; symptoms

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Edmonton Symptom Diagnostic Scale

  The scale includes "pain, fatigue, nausea, sadness, anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, the feeling of well-being, shortness of breath and other problems (changes in the skin and nails, sores in the mouth, numbness in the hands)." Sadırlı and Ünsar added other problems to the scale. Therefore, the current version with 11 items was used in this study. The severity of each symptom ranges from "no symptoms" to "very severe," with increasing numerical intensity between 0 and 10. "Edmonton Symptom Diagnostic Scale" were administered to the patients three times in total before the study (pretest), at the sixth week/middle (intermediate measurement), and the end of the 12th week/end of the survey (posttest).

  12 Weeks

• Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form

  In the Turkish adaptation, the scale has seven items and a 5-point Likert type. The scores obtained from the items on the scale vary from "1 point: I Completely Disagree" to "5 points: I Completely Agree", with the lowest being seven and the highest being 35 points. "Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form" were administered to the patients three times in total before the study (pretest), at the sixth week/middle (intermediate measurement), and the end of the 12th week/end of the survey (posttest).

  12 Weeks

Study Arms (3)

Live Cat Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Before starting the study, the "Structured Patient Information Form," "Edmonton Symptom Diagnosis Scale," and "Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form" were applied to the patients. Then, the researcher gave the patients face-to-face, individual information about hand hygiene after contact with a live cat for approximately 15 minutes in the waiting room and offered them a "Live Cat Information Brochure." Patients were then asked to spend 20 minutes with a pet at home twice a week for 12 weeks. "Edmonton Symptom Diagnosis Scale" and "Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form" were applied to this group of patients three times: before, at the 6th week, and at the end of the 12th week of the study.

Other: Pet therapy

Robotic Cat Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Before starting the study, the "Structured Patient Information Form," "Edmonton Symptom Diagnosis Scale," and "Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form" were applied to the patients. Then, the researcher gave the patients face-to-face information about the robotic cat "Silver" and its use for approximately 15 minutes in the waiting room and offered them a "Robotic Cat Information Brochure." In each pet therapy application, patients' hand hygiene and cleaning of the Robotic Cat was provided, the robot cat was given to the patients.

Other: Pet therapy

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Before starting the study, the "Structured Patient Information Form", "Edmonton Symptom Diagnosis Scale", and "Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form" were applied to the patients. Treatment was given to this group of patients only after informing them about the study, and the patients were followed for only three months. "Edmonton Symptom Diagnosis Scale" and "Oxford Happiness Scale Short FormS" were applied to the patients three times: before, at the 6th week, and the end of the 12th week of the research.

Interventions

Pet therapy OTHER

The patients were allowed to spend time with an animal (cat/robotic cat) for 20 minutes twice a week for 12 weeks.

Live Cat Group; Robotic Cat Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Criteria for admission to the study are 18≤ of age,
• Agreeing to participate in the research,
• Being conscious of receiving outpatient chemotherapy treatment for 3≤ months, and being able to communicate.
• The criteria included no impairment in mental and cognitive functions of patients/relatives in the live group,
• Patients in the live cat group not having any animal allergies, and the cat group having a cat.

You may not qualify if:

• Not agreeing to participate in the research,
• Being under 18 years of age,
• Having known psychological disorders, having a visual, hearing, or speech disability, and having an animal allergy.
• Also excluded are having a surgical wound (suture, drainage, etc.), neutropenia or severe infection (by resistant bacteria), fever, diarrhea, respiratory symptoms or vomiting during the week before the start of the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Karadeniz Technical University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Gümüşhane University

Gümüşhane, 29600, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms, Second Primary

Interventions

Animal Assisted Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Since the possibility of patients being affected by each other was minimal, the study was continued with only one of the live cat groups, the simulation cat group, and the control group. For example, only the live cat group and those who received chemotherapy treatment were studied before Monday afternoon.
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Asst. Prof.

Model Details: The sample number of the research was calculated in the G\*Power 3.1.9.6 program. While α=0.05 was the error amount, 0.628 was the effect size, and 0.90 (90%) was the targeted test power, it was calculated as 36 patients for three groups (living cat group, robotic cat group, control group). Since there was no previous study on the subject, a study examining happiness levels in a different sample group was used as a reference. Considering situations such as wanting to leave the study or death during the research, each group was increased by 25%, and a total of 45 patients, 15 patients for each group, were included in the study.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 20, 2024
• First Posted: February 28, 2024
• Study Start: June 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: July 15, 2023
• Study Completion: September 1, 2023
• Last Updated: March 1, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)