?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F6621%2F&rft.title=Quality+of+Life+of+Service+Dog+Partners&rft.creator=Milan%2C+Robert+W&rft.description=Medical+advances+are+constantly+increasing+survival+rates+of+individuals+experiencing+traumatic+accidents+and+infants+born+with+disabilities.+Medical+advances+have+also+significantly+increased+the+life+expectancy+of+individuals+living+with+disabilities+as+well+as+the+general+population.+Along+with+these+factors%2C+baby+boomers+are+growing+the+elderly+population.+All+of+this+will+cause+the+number+of+individuals+with+disabilities+to+increase+exponentially+over+the+next+several+decades.+Many+of+these+individuals+will+need+assistance+to+complete+their+daily+activities.+Research+has+shown+that+when+applicable%2C+assistive+technology+by+itself+is+more+beneficial+than+human+assistance+or+a+combination+of+both+human+assistance+and+assistive+technology.+Dogs+are+a+form+of+technology+humans+have+been+developing+for+thousands+of+years.+Also%2C+they+have+lived+so+closely+with+humans+for+so+long%2C+they+have+evolved+an+ability+to+understand+human+cues%2C+gestures%2C+facial+expressions%2C+etc.+Because+of+this%2C+their+immense+loyalty%2C+desire+to+please%2C+and+ability+to+overcome+social+barriers%2C+dogs+are+an+ideal+assistive+technology+for+some+individuals+with+disabilities.It+was+hypothesized+that+wheelchair+users+partnered+with+service+dogs+would+score+higher+on+quality+of+life+indicators+than+wheelchair+users+not+partnered+with+service+dogs.+Two+hundred+and+fourteen+individuals+were+included+in+a+cross-sectional+study.+To+be+included+in+the+study%2C+subjects+had+to+be+18+years+of+age+or+older+and+use+a+wheelchair+for+75+percent+of+their+mobility+needs.+Ninety-nine+subjects+partnered+with+service+dogs+for+at+least+14+months+but+less+than+8.5+years+were+compared+to+one+hundred+fifteen+subjects+not+partnered+with+service+dogs.+Quality+of+life+indicators+were+number+of+hours+of+paid+and+unpaid+assistance%2C+mobility%2C+physical+independence%2C+social+integration%2C+occupation%2C+economic+self-sufficiency%2C+self-esteem%2C+depression%2C+and+loneliness.The+service+dog+group+scored+significantly+higher+on+mobility+although+this+group+was+comprised+of+significantly+more+individuals+with+severe+disabilities+and+used+almost+significantly+more+hours+of+paid+assistance.+The+service+dog+group+outperformed+the+comparison+group+on+nearly+every+other+indicator+although+not+to+a+significant+degree.+These+results+are+similar+to+those+in+previous+studies+on+the+service+dogs.&rft.date=2007-05-25&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F6621%2F1%2FMilan_ETD2007final.pdf&rft.identifier=++Milan%2C+Robert+W++(2007)+Quality+of+Life+of+Service+Dog+Partners.++Master's+Thesis%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++