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The place of companion animals in the healthcare sector : impact on the hospital length of stay

de Posch, Astrid
(2018)

Files

DePosch_91231300_2018.pdf
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Details

Supervisors
Gourdin, Maximilien ; Janne, Pascal
Faculty
Faculté de psychologie, logopédie, sexologie et des sciences de la famille
Degree label
Master [120] en sciences psychologiques
Abstract
Whether it is for leisure, company, ornament or help, companion animals are very common and play many roles for their owners. Recently, research literature focused on the caring aspect of pets, investigating their benefits for human health. However, knowledge on the topic is still at an early stage. There is a lack of controlled empirical studies with concrete measurable effects. The hospital length of stay seemed to answer these criteria, being a concrete effect of human health and precisely measurable. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the place of companion animals in the healthcare sector, focusing on the impact on the length of hospital stay. Along with the length of stay, many questions arise. If pet ownership has an effect on the length of stay, which type of pet has the most impact? Does immunity play a role in this interaction? What are the other factors that influence the length of stay? In the context of an evolving hospital landscape, positive answer to these questions could have important consequences, for patients as for the government. With a sample of 200 patients having undergone revascularisation of a member artery, hemi-colectomy or segmental resection of the colon or the sigmoid or the rectum, total prostatectomy, and computer assisted intraoperative navigation, the present thesis attempts to answer these questions.