J Korean Oncol Nurs.  2010 Feb;10(1):112-118.

The Effects of Music Therapy on Pain, Depression and Anxiety in Terminal Cancer Patients

• Hong MS
• Cho MJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of music therapy on pain, depression, and anxiety in terminally ill patients.
METHODS
Twenty patients in the experimental group were provided with music via headphones for 30- 40 min at a time as they requested for 2 weeks, whereas no music was provided for the nineteen patients in the control group. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The research instruments included Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Depression & Anxiety Inventory Scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square-test, t-test, and Fisher's exact test, using SPSS 15.0.
RESULTS
There were significant decreases in the scores of pain at present (t=-2.54, p<.05), depression (t=-2.187, p<.05) and anxiety (Z=-2.114, p<.05) in the experimental group compared to those in the control group.
CONCLUSION
Music therapy is considered non-invasive and inexpensive intervention and can be easily applied to alleviate pain, depression and anxiety for terminally ill patients.

Keyword

Terminally ill; Music therapy; Pain; Depression; Anxiety; Cancer

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Depression
Humans
Music
Music Therapy
Surveys and Questionnaires
Terminally Ill