The influence of visual objects and music on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients scheduled to experience chemotherapy for the first time: a prospective randomized clinical study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the in uence of music together with attractive visual objects as an ambiance in the waiting room on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients scheduled to receive chemotherapy in outpatient setting for the rst time. Material and MethodBreast cancer patients planned to receive adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the rst time between November 1st, 2020 and July 31st, 2021 were included. Two designs, including a standard waiting room (StWR) and an intervention waiting room (IWR) that was created by adding music and visual objects to the standard room were constructed. These 2 designs were repeated sequentially in monthly periods and a total of 104 patients with 52 in each group were randomized. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADs) were used for assessments.Results of the patients in StWR and IWR groups were compared. ResultsBoth HADs anxiety and STAI-state anxiety scale scores were lower in patients who waited in IWR compared to those who waited in StWR (p=0.041, p=0.012, respectively). In patients in the IWR group, mean heart rate was lower by 7.6 bpm (p=0.009). No difference was found between the groups with regard to HADs depression score and STAI-trait anxiety score (p=0.305, p=0.535, respectively). For all patients, HADs anxiety scale (r=0.400, p=<0.001) and STAI-state anxiety scale (r=0.475, p=<0.001) scores increased as the waiting time increased. Discussion and ConclusionThe present study is the rst to investigate the in uence of adding music together with attractive visual objects to the standard ambiance of the chemotherapy waiting room on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients. We propose that introduction of paintings, arti cial plants, and music to the ambiance of the waiting room has a signi cantly positive effect on alleviating anxiety levels of cancer patients waiting for chemotherapy.

Potential Benefits of Music Therapy on Stroke Rehabilitation

“…One of the most well-studied areas of music therapy is its application in neuropsychiatric diseases. Music therapy can help alleviate various types of anxiety, including preoperative anxiety [ 33 , 34 ] and serious or long illness-induced anxiety [ 35 , 36 ]. However, opposite results have demonstrated that music does not reduce anxiety among women receiving radiation therapy for cancer [ 37 ], which may be due to differences in the music therapy interval and initiation time.…”