Previously submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research (no longer under consideration since May 27, 2021)
Date Submitted: Aug 5, 2020
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Comparison of Pet Robot Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Therapy Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials for Old Adults with Dementia
ABSTRACT
Background:
The increase in the number of dementia patients is a burden on caregivers as well as a socioeconomic burden. However, technical innovation is becoming a major critical factor in addressing such burdens. Studies are emerging that verify the effectiveness of robots in treating old adults with dementia. Therefore, we would like to determine and compare the effects of interventions that use robots and living animals, respectively.
Objective:
This study is a meta-analysis that analyzes four variables (cognition function, agitation, depression, and quality of life (QoL)) by selecting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of old adults with dementia in order to determine and compare the effectiveness of pet robot-assisted therapy (PRAT) and animal-assisted therapy (AAT).
Methods:
The literature selected was limited to RCTs written in English. Four databases were used in the search and selection therefor: EMBASE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers completed the search and screening process.
Results:
The systematic review included seven articles on PRAT, seven articles on AAT, and one article on both PRAT and AAT—for a total of fifteen articles. The meta-analysis showed that both PRAT and AAT interventions did not have a statistically significant impact on the cognition function, depression, and QoL of older adults with dementia. However, they did have a statistically significant impact on agitation.
Conclusions:
Previous studies have shown that the current method of treating older adults with dementia—whether using robots or living animals—is ineffective. Thus, in the development of intelligent active techniques (IATs), standardized robot arbitration programs—and the necessary measurement tools therefor—should be created instead of simply borrowing the program used in AAT.
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Copyright
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