La Terapia Asistida con Animales. Un análisis de concepto.

Introduction: The literature reports, in relation to "Animal Assisted Therapy", health benefits in areas such as mental health. The nursing community has reported little literature on evaluating this type of intervention despite the relationship between the concept and the profession. Objective: Analyze the concept of "Animal Assisted Therapy" and propose its use in nursing care in people with mental illness. Material and methods: The concept was analyzed using the Wilson analysis technique, identifying the conceptual elements through practical cases. The documentary review was applied in the databases PUBMED, CINHAL and the Google search engine. Articles were selected from the last ten years, which included the key concepts. Results: This analysis allows to use clear and concise language about the concept. It offers, to the disciplines interested in applying these therapies, a broader vision of it. Conclusions: The concept analyzed is a complex phenomenon that varies according to social, cultural and emotional factors. Its applicability in nursing will depend on the context and knowledge of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]