Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34077328›Full record

ArticleDisability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology2023

Benefits and challenges of mobility and medical alert service dogs for caregivers of service dog recipients.

Leanne O Nieforth, Kerri E Rodriguez, Marguerite E O'Haire

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Attitudes Toward In-Training Assistance Dogs in University Classrooms.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Leanne O NieforthCenter for the Human-Animal Bond, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0281-2072
Kerri E RodriguezHuman Animal Bond in Colorado, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3395-4818
Marguerite E O'HaireCenter for the Human-Animal Bond, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4910-3126
Purdue University West Lafayette · USColorado State University · US

Funding

Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences InstituteUL1TR001108 · NCATS · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · PI DENNE, SCOTT C., SHEKHAR, ANANTHA · 2013 to 2017
$23.3M
Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences InstituteKL2TR001106 · NCATS · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · PI DENNE, SCOTT C., SHEKHAR, ANANTHA · 2013 to 2017
$3.2M
NCATS NIH HHS KL2 TR001106NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001108
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeMobility and medical alert service dogs are an assistive technology for individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions. Informal caregivers of individuals with disabilities are subject to physical and emotional stress due to their responsibilities. Understanding how service dogs, an increasingly common assistive technology, may add to or subtract from caregiver stress is crucial for promoting caregiver well-being. The purpose of this study was to analyze caregiver accounts to understand their perspective on benefits and challenges they face with mobility and medical alert service dogs. MATERIALS AND

methodsOpen ended survey responses from 117 caregivers of service dog recipients (

resultsFour major themes were found regarding caregiver and service dog: Family Benefits, Caregiver Benefits, Assistance Through Service Dog's Training, and Drawbacks.

conclusionsFindings suggest that benefits and challenges of mobility and medical service dogs extend beyond the service dog recipient, affecting the caregiver and other family members as well. Future studies should further explore this interaction to determine the best way to support caregivers of individuals with disabilities.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMobility and medical alert service dogs are increasingly partnered with individuals with disabilities or chronic diseases as an assistive technology but few studies have focussed on the experience of the caregivers of service dog recipients. Caregivers of individuals with disabilities or chronic diseases may be subject to both psychological and physiological stressors as a result of their caregiver duties.Results found that caregivers perceive both benefits to themselves and to their families in terms building a bond with the animal that helps to reduce worry and offers emotional support. The most commonly mentioned drawbacks include general maintenance of the service dog, grooming needs and travel restrictions.This research is important in order to offer appropriate support to caregivers of individuals with disabilities.

Indexed as

Persons with DisabilitiesSelf-Help DevicesAnimalsCaregiversChronic DiseaseDogsHumansService Animalsassistance dogsCaregivershuman-animal interactionservice dogs

Identifiers

PMID34077328
PMCPMC10520918
OpenAlexW3164146518

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.