Effectiveness of Music Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the most stress-producing among all available treatment modalities. Nurses looking after the clients undergoing chemotherapy need to help them by providing non-pharmacological interventions like music which is proven to be effective among all complementary therapies.

Aim: To find the effectiveness of music on level of anxiety and to determine its effect in improving quality of life in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Settings and design: The study was conducted in the medical oncology units of two hospitals. This was quantitative research with quasi experimental nonrandomized control group design.

Methods and material:Study participants (n=160) were assigned to an intervention (n=80), and control group (n=80), by following purposive sampling technique. Anxiety and quality of life was measured using state anxiety inventory and QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The patient preferred music was administered for 3 hours during chemotherapy in the intervention group, and the control group received routine care.

Results:The results showed a significant difference in anxiety level before and after music in intervention group (p<0.05). A significant change in the quality of life was noticed from day 1 to day 5 in the intervention group. Repeated measure ANOVA showed a significant difference (p<0.05) in anxiety and quality of life at different time points in the intervention group.

Conclusion: Music had a positive effect on anxiety and quality of life in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Keywords:Music therapy; Anxiety; Quality of life; Chemotherapy