5 people in lab coats in a lab

Research

Human Animal Research Team of Appalachia

The Human Animal Research Team (HART) of Appalachia will bring together professionals from both human and veterinary fields to better understand human-animal interactions in rural areas. Input from a multidisciplinary team will foster communication and dialogue. Goals such as developing interventions to improve the lives of humans and animals, creating educational materials, and providing research opportunities will support LMU's service, education, and research missions. By collaborating with various professionals and the community, we aim to improve communication and understanding through human-animal interactions.

Mission statement:

HART of Appalachia aims to improve human wellbeing and animal welfare by fostering understanding and communication of the shared bond between humans and animals in rural communities.

Strategic goals:

  • To provide an understanding of the human-animal bond (HAB) in rural communities and the barriers to promoting and developing this bond in these areas.
  • To develop strategies for overcoming barriers to the HAB in rural areas.
  • Create educational content to foster a broader understanding of the HAB in rural communities.
  • Promote and facilitate research opportunities related to the HAB within rural communities.
  • Through the conduit of the HAB, improve communication and understanding between human and veterinary healthcare professionals, industry, educational institutions, and the public.

Research projects plan:

Data Collection

  • Create a narrative review of the existing science of the HAB, highlighting its benefits for both people and animals, and discussing the barriers to fostering this bond, particularly in rural communities.
  • Gather information about the awareness of the HAB in rural communities from both human healthcare workers and veterinary professionals by addressing some of these questions:
  • How do individuals benefit from the HAB?
  • What are the barriers to the bond in the community?
  • What strategies help to improve the bond?
  • What does the bond mean to individuals in the community?
  • Do individuals understand the impact of the HAB on their mental or physical health?
  • Gather data on the impact and awareness of the HAB in rural communities using various established health assessment methods.
  • Incorporate a survey of mental health.
  • Use established surveys on evaluating the HAB.
  • Employee and contribute to large data sets (i.e., Dog Aging Project) for information on rural communities and/or the HAB.

Translation of data

  • Create educational materials on the HAB in rural communities.
  • Design interventions aimed at fostering and strengthening the HAB in rural communities.
  • Conduct research trials on interventions to assess their effectiveness in improving the HAB and enhancing the wellbeing and welfare of people and their animal companions.

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