A Music Intervention to Reduce Anxiety Prior to Gastrointestinal Procedures
- 1 July 2003
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Gastroenterology Nursing
- Vol. 26 (4), 145-149
- https://doi.org/10.1097/00001610-200307000-00002
Abstract
Patients scheduled for gastrointestinal procedures such as colonoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy are often anxious and frightened. High levels of anxiety may result in more difficult and painful procedures. Past research has reported education, coping skills, relaxation techniques, and combinations of these including music, have decreased anxiety in patients across many settings. Self-selected music therapy for preprocedural anxiety has not been studied. A randomized controlled trial of 198 patients was undertaken to determine whether 15 minutes of self-selected music reduced preprocedure anxiety. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to measure patients’ anxiety. One-hundred ninety-three men and 5 women comprised the sample with an average age of 61 (SD 10.5). Patients who listened to music (n = 100) reduced their anxiety score from 36.7 (SD 9.1) to 32.3 (SD 10.4), while those who did not listen to music (n = 98) reduced their anxiety score from 36.1 (SD 8.3) to 34.6 (SD 11.5). These differences were statistically significant (F = 7.5, p = .007) after controlling for trait anxiety. There were no significant vital sign changes premusic and postmusic. Music is a noninvasive nursing intervention that can significantly reduce patients’ anxiety prior to gastrointestinal procedures. Further research should address using music to reduce anxiety in other procedure areas and testing effectiveness of self-selected versus investigator-selected music in reducing anxiety.Keywords
This publication has 10 references indexed in Scilit:
- Patients' Attitudes and Apprehensions About Endoscopy: How To Calm Troubled WatersThe American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2001
- The Effect of Preprocedure Teaching, Relaxation Instruction, and Music on Anxiety as Measured by Blood Pressures in an Outpatient Gastrointestinal Endoscopy LaboratoryGastroenterology Nursing, 2000
- Effects of video information on precolonoscopy anxiety and knowledge: a randomised trialThe Lancet, 1999
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: are preparatory interventions effective?Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 1998
- Influence of coping style and precolonoscopy information on pain and anxiety of colonoscopyGastrointestinal Endoscopy, 1998
- Screening for colorectal cancer: reasons for refusal of faecal occult blood testing in a general practice in England.Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 1995
- Adherence to Screening Flexible Sigmoidoscopy in Asymptomatic PatientsMedical Care, 1992
- Music TherapyClinical Nurse Specialist, 1992
- Effects of relaxing music on state anxiety in myocardial infarction patientsCritical Care Nursing Quarterly, 1990
- Music Therapy Results for ICU PatientsDimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 1990