Bridging the Gap: Using Video Art to Document the Human Face of Disease & Predict Quality of Life Assessments in Brain Tumor Patients

Bridging the Gap: Using Video Art to Document the Human Face of Disease & Predict Quality of Life Assessments in Brain Tumor Patients

Bridging the Gap: Using Video Art to Document the Human Face of Disease & Predict Quality of Life Assessments in Brain Tumor Patients

The goal of this study is to explore whether facial expression changes in visual portraits correlate with Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire responses before and after pet therapy sessions and to compare scores of QOL questionnaires before and after pet therapy.

Through this pilot study, the investigators propose to create new intersections between video art and clinical care by photographing and videotaping patients with brain tumors before, during and after pet therapy sessions. This exploratory scholarship has two equally compelling goals. First, the artistic component of the project aims to create compelling slow motion video portraits of patients' willing to share their experiences of what it is like to confront such a grave illness. The goal is to put a human face on disease and share the endurance of the human spirit through art. Second, the scientific component will assess the potential of using facial video portraits as a novel and innovative way to measure Quality of Life (QOL) in lieu of questionnaires in brain tumor patients. In addition, the project will evaluate the effects of pet therapy on the QOL of these patients.

Patients will be asked to complete the standardized QLQ-C30/BN20 questionnaires. Following completion of the questionnaires, a trained pet therapy dog will be brought to the patients for approximately 10 minutes. After approximately 10 minutes, the dog will be removed and the patients will be asked to re-complete the standardized QLQ-C30/BN20 questionnaires. Patients will be photographed and videographed during this time. Finally, patients will be asked to talk about how their perspectives on life have changed with their diagnosis. These responses will be captured for use in the art exhibit created from images collected during the study.

Will look to see if there is a correlation between facial expression changes in visual portraits with QOL questionnaire responses before and after pet therapy sessions

Will compare QOL questionnaire scores from before and after pet therapy sessions to see if there is a change after the pet therapy.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients with brain tumors Willingness to participate in a brief pet therapy session with a dog Willingness to allow photographs, pictures and audio used in an art exhibit Exclusion Criteria: Allergy to dogs Concurrent disease or condition that would make the patient inappropriate for study participation or any serious medical or psychiatric disorder that would interfere with the subject's safety

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