[Music therapy effectiveness to decrease anxiety in mechanically ventilated patients]

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Ventilator-dependent patients often experience high anxiety levels.
• Anxiety management is crucial for patient recovery and well-being.
• Music therapy is explored as a potential non-pharmacological intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy as a nursing intervention.
• To determine if music therapy decreases anxiety and promotes relaxation in ventilator-dependent patients.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of electronic databases (Cochrane Library, Medline, CINHAL, Embase, PsycLit) was performed.
• Included studies were systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials comparing music therapy to no music or other relaxation techniques.
• Inclusion criteria focused on patients receiving ventilatory assistance.

Main Results:

• All three included studies reported a significant reduction in state anxiety in patients receiving music therapy.
• Physiological measures (heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate) showed contradictory findings across studies.
• None of the studies met the established quality criteria, indicating potential methodological limitations.

Conclusions:

• While music therapy shows promise in reducing anxiety, current evidence is not fully reliable due to study limitations.
• Further high-quality research is necessary to confirm music therapy's effectiveness for anxiety reduction in this population.
• Music therapy's low risk and cost warrant further investigation into its effects on various outcomes and settings.