The Influence of Music Therapy on Perceived Stressors and Anxiety Levels of Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: This study was designed as a pretest-posttest control group experiment. The aim was to identify the influence of music therapy on the perceived stressors and anxiety levels of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: The data were collected in HD Units of Ataturk University Yakutiye Research Hospital and Regional Education, Application and Research Hospital between February and March. The study population consisted of 104 patients who received dialysis. Since four patients refused to participate, the study was completed with 100 patients. While one-half of the patients formed a control group, the other half consisted of an experimental group. Patient introduction form, Hemodialysis Stressor Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) forms were used to collect the data. HSS was used to identify the stressors perceived by the patients, and STAI form was used to classify anxiety levels. Data were analyzed by using t-test and chi-square test. Results: It was found that differences between average pretest and posttest scores of perceived psychosocial, physiological, and total stressors were statistically significant. It was also found that differences between average pretherapy and posttherapy test scores of state and trait anxiety were statistically significant. Conclusions: Music therapy was influential in reducing anxiety levels and perceived stressors of HD patients. It is concluded that music therapy-as an independent nursing initiative-can be used to help in fulfilling the physical, emotional, and psychological requirements of patients.
PMID: 23151089