The Determination of the Effect of Music on Pain, Anxiety, and Vital Findings in Cancer Patients Treated in Palliative Care Centers : a Quasi-experimental Study
The Determination of the Effect of Music on Pain, Anxiety, and Vital Findings in Cancer Patients Treated in Palliative Care Centers : a Quasi-experimental Study
Background: Cancer patients receiving palliative care often endure a variety of distressing symptoms, most notably pain and anxiety. Evidence suggests that music offers a symptom-alleviating effect for these patients and can also influence their physiological parameters.
Aim: This investigation was structured as a quasi-experimental study utilizing a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. Its goal was to ascertain the influence of music on pain levels, anxiety states, and vital signs among cancer patients admitted to a palliative care facility.
Methods: Data collection relied on the Patient Demographic Form, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and a Physiological Parameter Monitoring Form. The intervention group was exposed to relaxing instrumental Turkish music in the maqams of Hicaz and Buselik for a single 30-minute session using MP3 players and headphones, whereas the control group was instructed to observe 30 minutes of bed rest without any other activity. Measurements were taken at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the 30-minute intervention period between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM following the patient's morning analgesic dose.
Advances in medicine have increased life expectancy, leading to a rise in chronic diseases like cancer, with 14 million new cases annually, projected to reach 22 million by 2030. Cancer patients often face intensive treatments and severe symptoms, including pain and anxiety, highlighting the need for palliative care.
Nurses play a key role in symptom management, using both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods, including music therapy. Music can stimulate neuroendocrine responses by increasing dopamine and serotonin release, activating the limbic system, increasing endorphin release, and suppressing sympathetic nervous system activity, which contributes significantly to reducing pain and anxiety while also affecting the regulation of vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.
This study examined the effects of music on pain, anxiety, and vital signs in 32 palliative care cancer patients using a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The study was conducted between February 2021 and June 2022 at Yozgat City Hospital Palliative Care Center and Karaman Training and Research Hospital Palliative Care Center.
Patients in the intervention group listened to 30 minutes of instrumental Turkish music in the maqams of Hicaz and Buselik; controls rested quietly. The music CD was prepared by experts from the Applied Music Therapy Association (UMTED) and consisted of 13 instrumental works designed to provide relaxation and have a sedative effect. The volume was kept low and the main melody was emphasized.
Data collection took approximately 60 minutes per participant. The intervention was performed between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM after patients received their first daily analgesic dose. Headphones were used to maintain focus and block extraneous noise, with separate devices for each patient to ensure infection control standards. Further research should explore mechanisms, patient differences, and optimal implementation protocols.
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