Assessment of Service and Hearing Dogs

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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For persons with impairments and certain illnesses the use of service dogs may have positive effect. The effects of using these dogs to assist in every day life need to be studied further.The aim of the study was to assess how health care consumption was effected by using certified service dogs and to study the cost-effectiveness of having a certified service dog.

Detailed Description
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This is an exploratory before and after study with the aim to study how health care consumption was effected by using certified service dogs and to study the cost-effectiveness of having a certified service dog. Data was collected before the education of the dog started and the follow-up was made three months after completion of the education. Data was collected on Health care consumption and outcomes in terms Health related quality of life and Health outcomes.

Official Title
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Assessment of Service and Hearing Dogs

Conditions
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Impairment, Diabetes, Epilepsy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Service dog


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age over 16 years Having a regular companion dog Being in need of a certified service dog (due to impairment, diabetes, epilepsy and deafness) Exclusion Criteria: Psychiatric illness

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Service dogs<br>Single arm study using a before after design where Before represent having a regular companion dog and after represent having a certified service dog | Other: Service dog<br>* Use of a individualized certified service dog<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total costs | Health care costs, cost of informal care, municipal costs | Three months follow-up | 
| Health related quality of life, EQ-5D | EQ-5D is a generic quality of life instrument including five dimensions | Tree months follow-up | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cost-effectiveness | Cost per quality adjusted life years (QALY) | Life time perspective | 
| Health related quality of life, RAND-36 | RAND-36 is a generic quality of life instrument including eight dimensions | Three months follow-up | 
| WHO-5 wellbeing index | WHO-5 wellbeing index is an index measuring wellbeing on five dimensions | Three months follow-up | 
| Rosenberg self-esteem scale | Rosenberg self-esteem scale measures self esteem with ten questions | Three month follow-up | 
| EQ-VAS | EQ-VAS is a Visual analogue scale ranging from 0 to 100 (perfect Health) | Three months follow-up | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Service dogs, Alert dogs, Costs, Quality of Life, Cost-effectiveness