Equine-assisted therapy and practitioner´s well-being in the context of physical and mental health: a systematic review / A equoterapia e o bem-estar do praticante no âmbito da saúde física e mental: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract

Background: Equine-assisted therapy has contributed to the treatment of a considerable range of pathologies and problems related to physical and mental health of people with some type of disability.Aims: This systematic review whose protocol is registered on the PROSPERO platform n. CRD42020221415, aimed to analyze the contribution of equine-assisted therapy verified in the literature as a possibility for improving the well-being of practitioners with physical or mental health problems.Methodology: A systematic review of the literature was performed in six databases from the research question in the PICO format “Can individuals with physical or mental health problems (Population), who practice equine-assisted therapy (Intervention) get improvements in their well-being (Outcomes)?”Results: The state of art presents a repetition of studies on the same health problems and lacks others.1956 articles were found, but only 11 were selected and of these, 9 presented positive results in their interventions.Conclusion: It is concluded that equine-assisted therapy can promote improvements in the well-being of practitioners regardless of the health problems to be treated, but future studies need to investigate disabilities not yet analyzed.