ONS PEP Evidence Summary For Anxiety

For Use as an Intervention For Anxiety

  • Likely to Be Effective

    Author and Year

    Nightingale, C.L., Rodriguez, C., & Carnaby, G. (2013). The impact of music interventions on anxiety for adult cancer patients: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Integrative Cancer Therapies.

     doi: 10.1177/1534735413485817

    Purpose:

    To clarify the effect of music interventions on anxiety for adult patients with cancer from rigorously conducted studies
     

    TYPE OF STUDY: Meta-analysis and systematic review

    Literature Evaluated:

    • A total of 606 references were retrieved.
    • The PEDro scale was used to evaluate quality, applied independently by two people.

    Sample Characteristics :

    • A final number of 13 studies were reviewed, with 4 included in meta-analysis.
    • A total of 709 patients were included in the review, with a sample range across studies of 20–98.
    • The sample had various tumor types. Most studies were done during active treatment. One study was done related to a bone marrow biopsy procedure.

    Phase of Care and Clinical Applications:

    Patients were undergoing active antitumor treatment.

    Results:

    Length of the intervention varied substantially from 5 minutes to 4 hours. There was high variability in the number of sessions delivered. Most studies examined a single intervention with immediate pre and post anxiety measurement. Three delivered live music, 1 involved a music therapist, and 11 involved listening to music via headphones. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference between the music intervention and controls (SMD = -0.003 (95% CI -0.51, 0.52).

    Conclusions:

    Meta-analysis showed no significant effect of music interventions on anxiety in adults with cancer.

    Limitations:

    • A low number of studies were included in meta-analysis.
    • There was high heterogeneity among the studies.
    • There was variability in the type, duration, and timing of the music interventions used.

    Nursing Implications:

    Results of this analysis do not support an effect of music interventions on anxiety in adults with cancer.