Multispecies family: towards a broader clinical perspective in hospital settings.

Authors

Karen Aguiar, Javier Sánchez Doncell, Lucía Bertorello Andrade

Published in

Medicina. Volume 86. Issue 4. Pages 1004-1010.

Abstract

In recent decades, family configurations have undergone significant transformations, with growing recognition of companion animals as meaningful members of the affective environment. This phenomenon has given rise to new forms of organization known as multispecies families. The objective of this article is to analyze, through a conceptual narrative review with an applied proposal, the clinical relevance of the human-animal bond in hospital settings and its potential incorporation into biopsychosocial assessment. Literature published between 2010 and 2025 was reviewed, prioritizing clinical, psychosocial and public health studies on the human-animal bond, social support, hospitalization, adherence, discharge planning and family assessment tools. The search was narrative in scope and was not designed as a systematic review or as a PRISMA-based strategy. Available evidence suggests that companion animals may influence emotional coping, continuity of care, self-care routines and decision-making during illness. We propose adapting classic tools, such as the genogram and ecomap, to systematically record the presence, role and care needs of companion animals. This proposal does not aim to establish universal normative recommendations, but rather to offer an initial, cautious and contextual clinical tool to broaden understanding of the patient's real support environment.

PMID:
42604510
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 17 Aug 2026.

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