HIV/AIDS

In 2016 Dr. Dell began offering Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (Saskatoon) Opioid Assisted Recovery Services (OARS).
That same year her team was awarded a flipped science project, funded by Universities Without Walls, to examine the impact of a visiting St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog with clients in highest need for motivation related to their HIV and/or addiction status. The project is outlined in a video here.
A follow-up to this project was two 8-week Animal Assisted Therapy sessions with OARS clients. Dr. Dell published about her experience through the lens of Anna-Belle the Therapy Dog. Dr. Darlene Chalmers worked with Subie the Therapy Dog.
Since this initial study Dr. Dell has worked with honours student Brynne Kosteniuk at OARS to examine the role of companion animals in recovery from substance use problems. Her and a team at the University of Alberta are undertaking a qualitiative systematic review of the experiences and perceptions of health care professionals and staff with animal-assisted interventions.
Dr. Dell is currently building on this work with her team to study the impact of companion animals for Veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and who problematically use substances.
Dr. Dell is currently a member of the Communities, Alliances and Networks Mobilizing Indigenous STBBI Research, which aims to organize, review and action past CAAN project knowledge mobilization strategies.

HIGHLIGHTS

Academic Publications

Video

Dell, C., Acoose, S., Butt, P., Chalmers, D., Downe, P., Husband, A., Balysky, A. 2016. “Providing PAWS-itive Support”. Universities Without Walls.

Presentations

Kosteniuk, B., and Dell, C. 2018. “How Companion Animals Support Recovery from Opioid Addiction: An Exploratory Study of Patients in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program”. Poster Presentation. Issues of Substance – Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. Ottawa, ON.
Dell, C. & Anna-Belle (St. John Ambulance therapy dog). 2014. “Animal Assisted Interventions in the Mental Health and Addictions Fields”. Psychiatry Academic Research Day, Saskatoon Health Region & University of Saskatchewan. Saskatoon, SK.

Addiction Research Chair Outcomes

Highlights of Dr. Dell's work during this time include:

Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network Research Project Team & Espey, S. (C. Dell co-PI). 2015. Video Summaries 1-9. Our team produced 9 one-minute videos to relay our research findings on social media.
Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network Research Project Team & S. Espey. (C. Dell co-PI). 2013. The Experiences of Being Peer Research Associates & Key Research Findings. Our team produced this 13 minute video to relay both our community-based research process and findings.
Taghizadeh Asl, R., B. Eshrati, C. Dell▪, K. Taylor, P. Afshar, M. Kamali, A. Mirzazadeh. 2013. “Outcome Assessment of Triangular Clinics as a Harm Reduction Intervention in Rajaee-Shahr Prison, Iran”. Journal of Harm Reduction. 10:41, pp. 1-12.
Eshrati, B., R. Taghizadeh Asl, C. Dell, P. Afshar, P. Millson, M. Kamali, J. Weekes. 2008. “Preventing HIV Transmission Among Iranian Prisoners: Initial Support for Providing Education on the Benefits of Harm Reduction Practices”. Harm Reduction Journal. 5(21), pp. 1-7.
MORE PAST ACHIEVEMENTS COMING SOON!