Live music intervention for cancer inpatients: The Music Givers format

ABSTRACTObjective:The present study intended to evaluate the impact of a standardized format-called the "Music Givers," based on a single session of music intervention followed by a buffet-on the psychological burden and well-being of hospitalized cancer patients.

The Distress Thermometer (DT), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and self-reported visual analogue scales (score range = 1-10) to assess pain, fatigue, and five areas of well-being (i.e., physical, psychological, relational, spiritual, and overall well-being) were administered to 242 cancer patients upon admission to and at discharge from the hospital. Among them, 103 were hospitalized during which time a live concert took place (intervention group), whereas 139 patients were hospitalized when it did not (control group).

Compared to the control group, patients in the intervention group demonstrated less distress at discharge according to the DT (adjusted estimate of difference = -0.8, p = 0.001), lower HADS-Anxiety (-1.7, p < 0.001) and HADS-Depression scores (-1.3, p = 0.001), and higher scores on all the well-being scales, with the exception of spiritual well-being. In addition, no between-group differences were found in terms of pain and fatigue scores at discharge.

The one-session format of the Music Givers intervention is an effective, standardized, easy-to-replicate, and low-cost intervention that reduces psychological burden and improves the well-being of hospitalized cancer patients. Listening to live music and the opportunity to establish better relationships between patients and staff could explain these results.