How would patients prefer to spend the waiting time before their operations?

Background Music's Impact on Patients Waiting in Surgery and Radiology Clinics

OBJECTIVES

To assess the impact of different types of background music on patients' anxiety and perceptions in a healthcare setting.

BACKGROUND

An overwhelming number of studies in the West have been conducted on the use of background music in reducing patients' anxiety and their perception of hospitals. Despite the optimism for Western classical music in such settings, evidence documenting the successful use of this genre of music in waiting rooms across other people groups has, thus far, been inconclusive.

METHOD

A single-blind randomized study in which a total of 303 participants were recruited from both surgery and radiology clinics using a between-groups experimental design. Patients were seated in the waiting room for at least 20 min while music (Western classical, lo-fi) or no music was playing in the background. Participants were then required to complete a questionnaire that consisted of a shortened 6-item State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6), and eight questions relating to overall perceptions of the hospital.

RESULTS

The results from both clinics revealed that patients in the no music condition rated themselves as feeling significantly less anxious than those in either of the two music conditions. Patients' perceptions of the hospital's overall service and expectations were higher in the no music condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Firstly, the choice of background music should match the differing pace of the day; for example, a more upbeat song would better fit the mood of a busy clinic, leading to a more "congruent" atmosphere. Secondly, playing background music in a "task-oriented" and highly charged/anxious environment may increase arousal levels, which in turn could result in negative perceptions of the hospital and an increase in anxiety among patients. Finally, music is a cultural product and music that primes certain beliefs in one culture may not have similar effects among other people groups. Hence, specific curated playlists are necessary to convey "intentions" to different people groups.

Music in Waiting Rooms: A Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

We aim to review existing literature on the effects of background music in waiting rooms on patients. Furthermore, we examine existing neurobiological research for potential mechanisms by which music may affect patients.

BACKGROUND

Music has been studied in healthcare in various forms, from formal interventions such as music therapy to passive listening as therapy. However, music is also present in the healthcare environment in the form of background music in waiting rooms. There has been interest in whether background music in such a setting may have beneficial effects on patient anxiety in order to potentially inform healthcare workers whether and what type of music may be suitable for waiting rooms.

METHODS

We reviewed existing literature on music in healthcare waiting rooms and the neurobiological mechanisms by which music affects anxiety.

RESULTS

We located several small studies performed in a range of settings, including physician office waiting rooms and preoperative waiting areas. The studies generally reported that most patients viewed music in these areas positively; some, but not all, studies showed positive effects on patient anxiety. A variety of theories by which music may impact patient anxiety was noted.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that there exists some evidence to support an anxiety-reducing effect of background music on patients, though studies vary widely in methodology and music selection. A small amount of neurobiological research into the pertinent mechanisms has been conducted, but further research will be required to elucidate the exact mechanisms by which this intervention may reduce anxiety.

The influence of ambient scent and music on patients' anxiety in a waiting room of a plastic surgeon

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the influence of ambient scent and music, and their combination, on patients' anxiety in a waiting room of a plastic surgeon.

BACKGROUND

Waiting for an appointment with a plastic surgeon can increase a patient's anxiety. It is important to make the waiting time before an appointment with the surgeon more pleasant and to reduce the patient's anxiety. Ambient environmental stimuli can influence people's mood, cognition, and behavior. This experimental study was performed to test whether ambient scent and music can help to reduce patients' anxiety.

METHODS

Two pre-studies (n = 21) were conducted to measure the subjective pleasantness and arousal of various scents and music styles. Scent and music that scored high on pleasantness and low on arousal were selected for the main study. The field experiment (n = 117) was conducted in the waiting room of a German plastic surgeon. The patients' levels of anxiety were measured in four conditions: (1) without scent and music, (2) with lavender scent; (3) with instrumental music; (4) with both scent and music.

RESULTS

When used separately, each of the environmental factors, music and scent, significantly reduced the level of patient's anxiety compared to the control condition. However, the combination of scent and music was not effective in reducing anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that ambient scent and music can help to reduce patients' anxiety, but they should be used with caution. Adding more ambient elements to environment could raise patients' level of arousal and thus increase their anxiety.

KEYWORDS

Healing environments, patient, patient-centered care, quality care, satisfaction.

Anesthesiologist's Role in Relieving Patient's Anxiety

INTRODUCTION

Anesthesia and surgery have proved to be highly anxiety provoking and with the rise of elective surgery, its aspect of patient's experience has become prominent in time. However, our fault as anesthesiologists is that we have not made people get versed with what we people as anesthesiologist do in the operating room. Hence, keeping in view all this, a study was carried out, in which video information/images regarding anesthesia and surgical procedure was shown to patients on PowerPoint Presentation. Different images showing previous patient's hospital journey were shown to educate patients.

METHODS

Two hundred patients scheduled to undergo elective surgery were taken and were divided into two groups of 100 each. Patients (study group or Group I) were shown video clippings/images of other previously operated patients and their hospital journey including surgery and anesthesia for which patient came in hospital. The study was carried out on the patient in each group while Group II was treated in normal way and not shown any type of images/videos. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale was used as a criterion to measure the level of anxiety in Group I and II at four different intervals that are before pre anesthetic check up (PAC), after showing videos and images in Group I, 1 h before surgery and 8 h after surgery.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The results of observation of both the groups at different intervals time were statistically compared and analyzed. These characteristics were analyzed using the "Chi-square tests" and "unpaired t-test."

RESULTS

Video and images information if done preoperatively have been shown to reduce patient's anxiety, although little is known regarding the effects of the method.

CONCLUSION

Showing videos/images of hospital journey for educating the patients before the operation is beneficial to patients undergoing elective surgery.

Music reduces patient anxiety during Mohs surgery: an open-label randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Many patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) experience anxiety and stress. Although music has been proven to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation in other fields of medicine, scant research investigates the effect of music on anxiety during MMS.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether music can reduce anxiety in patients undergoing MMS.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

An open-labeled randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess anxiety before and after listening to music. Subjects undergoing MMS were randomly allocated to listen to self-selected music (n = 50) or to have surgery without music (n = 50). Anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and on a visual analog scale (VAS).

RESULTS

Subjects in the music group experienced statistically significantly lower STAI and VAS scores than those in the control group. STAI and VAS scores were significantly lower in subjects who underwent MMS for the first time. Anxiety measures did not correlate with sex or type of skin cancer.

CONCLUSION

Listening to self-selected music reduces anxiety in patients undergoing MMS, especially those who undergo MMS for the first time. Presenting patients the opportunity to listen to music is a simple strategy to minimize anxiety during MMS.

Evidence That Music Listening Reduces Preoperative Patients’ Anxiety

Background: Patients often exhibit preoperative fear and anxiety that may influence the process of induction and recovery from anesthesia. Music is thought to be an alternative to medication for relief of fear and anxiety. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to explore the feasibility of using heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) for evaluating the efficacy of music listening to relieve the patients’ anxiety during their stay in the operation room waiting area and to compare the HRV measures with subjective Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores. Methods: In total, 140 patients were randomly assigned to the experimental ( n = 64) or control group ( n = 76). The intervention consisted of a 10-min period of exposure to relaxing music delivered through headphones. Anxiety levels were measured by VAS (a 10-point scale) and 5 min of HRV monitoring before and after the music intervention. Results: The music group demonstrated significant reductions in VAS scores, mean HR, low-frequency HRV, and low- to high-frequency ratio and an increase in high-frequency HRV, while patients in the control group showed no changes. The subjective results of patients’ VAS anxiety scores were consistent with the objective results of HRV parameters. Conclusions: Listening to music can significantly lower the anxiety levels of patients before surgery. The frequency-domain parameters of HRV can be indicators for monitoring the change in anxiety level of preoperative patients.

Anesthesiologists' perception of patients' anxiety under regional anesthesia

The aim of this survey is to report anesthesiologists’ perception of patients’ anxiety under regional anesthesia, its frequency, effects and causes, and the strategies employed to reduce it. Electronic questionnaires were sent to all grades of anesthesiologists in Nottingham, UK. The response rate for the survey was 79%. Over half of the anesthesiologists in our region believe that anxiety during regional anesthesia is not common. Surgery and anesthesia, followed by block failure were reported by anesthesiologists as the most common causes of patients’ anxiety. Frequently employed techniques to manage anxiety were communication or sedation. Most respondents felt that regional anesthesia provides good analgesia and patient satisfaction. However, 20% felt that regional anesthesia is painful or unpleasant for patients, perhaps explaining the reluctance by some anesthesiologists to perform regional anesthesia.

The effect of music on preoperative anxiety in day surgery

AIM

This paper reports a study to test the hypothesis that day surgery patients who listen to music during their preoperative wait will have statistically significantly lower levels of anxiety than patients who receive routine care.

BACKGROUND

Although previous day surgery research suggests that music effectively reduces preoperative anxiety, methodological issues limit the generalizability of results.

METHODS

In early 2004, a randomized controlled trial design was conducted to assess anxiety before and after listening to patient preferred music. Participants were allocated to an intervention (n=60), placebo (n=60) or control group (n=60). Pre- and post-test measures of anxiety were carried out using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

RESULTS

Music statistically significantly reduced the state anxiety level of the music (intervention) group. No relationships were found between socio-demographic or clinical variables such as gender or type of surgery.

CONCLUSION

The findings support the use of music as an independent nursing intervention for preoperative anxiety in patients having day surgery.

Music and its effect on anxiety in short waiting periods: a critical appraisal

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This paper undertakes a critical appraisal of the methodological issues associated with studies that have investigated the extent to which music decreased the anxiety experienced by patients in short-term waiting periods such as day surgery.

BACKGROUND

Investigations and surgery undertaken on a day basis have significantly increased in number over the last decade. Music has been evaluated as an appropriate nursing intervention in relation to pain, discomfort and anxiety in a number of clinical settings but its usefulness for decreasing anxiety in short-term waiting periods such as day surgery is only beginning to be understood.

CONCLUSION

A number of methodological limitations are identified by this critical review, particularly in relation to the design of research studies. Recommendations to strengthen research in this area are suggested and include (i) describing methods clearly and with detail to allow assessment of the validity and rigour of study results; (ii) using permuted block randomization; (iii) recruiting from a variety of surgical procedures and cultural groups; and (iv) standardizing the health care provided during waiting period.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Music as a simple and cost-effective intervention to reduce the anxiety experienced in limited time periods will have enormous impact on clinical practice where patients wait and undergo invasive investigations, procedures or surgery. However, the evidence of its utility in these unique environments is only beginning to emerge and this critical review provides a basis for considerations for future research.

Patient anxiety and modern elective surgery: a literature review

Medical advances have led to a considerable rise in the level of elective surgery undertaken as day-case surgery and with minimal hospital stay. However, amid such advances, preoperative psychological care has remained relatively static. A considerable number of patients are very anxious prior to elective surgery and little formal care is undertaken to address this major issue. A review of the literature from 1990 to 2002 was therefore undertaken in order to assess the present level of knowledge and interventions concerning patient anxiety when undergoing modern, intermediate surgical intervention. Thirty-four studies embracing data from 3754 patients undergoing both inpatient and day-case procedures were reviewed. Three main themes emerged - causes of anxiety, clinical concerns and measurement, and anxiety management. Each theme is discussed alongside details extracted from the relevant studies. Finally, the main issues arising are summarized and future research challenges identified.