Risk factors for, metrics of, and consequences of access to veterinary care for companion animals: A scoping review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Barriers to accessing veterinary care can be challenging for companion-animal caregivers and may lead to preventable health conditions or even death of pets.

Objectives

We conducted a scoping review to: 1) catalog the definitions of access to veterinary care (A2VC) used by researchers, 2) identify risk factors for and consequences of A2VC, and 3) map the risk factors onto dimensions of access to care (affordability, availability, accessibility, accommodation, acceptability).

Eligibility criteria

Primary research on companion animals not involved in commercial enterprises (e.g., horse racing) examining consequences of and/or risk factors for A2VC for which the full text was available in English.

Sources of evidence

PubMed (1996-6 July 2023) and CAB Ab

SUBMITTER: O'Connor A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12124545 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature