Background and Aims. Primiparous women experience high levels of anxiety before cesarean section. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the effects of the Benson Relaxation Technique (BRT) and Music Therapy (MT) on the anxiety of primiparous women prior to cesarean section. Methods. A randomized controlled trial was carried out on 105 women scheduled for cesarean section. They were randomly assigned into three groups: BRT, MT, and control (n = 35 per group). The women in the BRT and MT groups performed exercises and listened to music, respectively, for 20 minutes prior to cesarean section. The State Anxiety Inventory was used to measure the women’s anxiety in the groups before and after the intervention. Results. Within-group comparisons showed that the women in the BRT (t = 5.61, p  < 0.001, effect size (Cohen’s d) = 0.94) and MT (t = 3.83, p  = 0.001, d = 0.64) groups had significantly lower anxiety after the interventions compared to before the interventions. Also, between-group comparisons revealed that anxiety after the intervention was significantly lower in the BRT and MT groups compared to the control group ( p  = 0.007). Conclusions. Although both of the BRT and MT helped with the reduction of anxiety among primiparous women before cesarean section, the BRT was shown more effective. These nonpharmacologic methods are safe and cost-effective and can improve well-being among women undergoing this invasive procedure. They can be used along with pharmacologic methods for reducing overreliance on medications.

Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the diseases that usually present at an advanced age. Respiratory symptoms in patients with COPD are the most important for making treatment decisions and understanding the adverse effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to investigate HRQoL in elderly patients with COPD and examine the relationship between this in relation to respiratory symptoms experienced by them and their demographic characteristics. Methods. This is a descriptive, correlational study of elderly patients with COPD who were hospitalized in five different hospitals in an urban area of Iran. A consecutive sampling method was used. Demographic data form, the respiratory symptoms component of St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) were applied for data collection. Results. The patients (n = 217) reported low HRQoL, and this impairment was more observed in the physical component. There was a significant inverse relationship between the experienced respiratory symptoms and physical ( p = 0.03 ) and mental ( p < 0.001 ) components of HRQoL. Moreover, the female gender, the low level of education, the increased duration of the disease, the increased number of hospitalizations during the past year, and the use of two classes of drugs simultaneously were associated with the impaired HRQoL. Conclusion. Our findings inform healthcare providers about the negative impacts of respiratory symptoms and other related factors on the HRQoL of elderly patients with COPD. Nurses and other healthcare providers should proactively identify respiratory symptoms and design appropriate caring strategies to improve HRQoL among this group.