Animal-Assisted Visitation Program Chlorhexidine Trial

Completed · Phase 4 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Clostridium Difficile, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

In brief

Hospital-based Animal-Assisted visitation programs are important complementary therapies, but concerns with infection control may challenge the sustainability of these programs. Pilot data suggest that a low-cost chlorhexidine-based intervention targeted to the dogs involved in the visitation programs holds high potential to prevent pathogen transmission during sessions. In this study, the following aims will be tested: 1) To identify program-related risk factors for acquisition of hospital-associated pathogens by pediatric patients during animal-assisted intervention (AAI) sessions during an initial run-in phase of no intervention; 2) To determine the effect of chlorhexidine (CHX)-based interventions on acquisition of hospital-associated pathogens and microbial communities by patients during AAI sessions via a multicenter randomized controlled trial; and 3) To determine whether the specific benefits achieved by the visitation program, i.e. reduction in blood pressure, heart rate and self-reported pain and anxiety, are impacted by the interventions.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04171817

Run by

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

People needed

45

Starts

2023-05-01

Expected to finish

2026-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-01

Who can join

Age: 3 and older, up to 17. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Children between the ages of 3 and 17 years
• Cleared by physician to participate in a hospital-based animal-assisted visitation program session with any enrolled dog

You may not qualify if…

• Children who report sensitivity to chlorhexidine products
• Children who report allergy to dogs or sensitivity to dog allergen

Where it is running

• Johns Hopkins — Baltimore, Maryland, United States
• Washington University in St. Louis — St Louis, Missouri, United States
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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