Music Therapy Intervention to Reduce Symptom Burden in Hospice Patients: A Descriptive Study.

Music therapy (MT) offers benefits of improved symptom relief and quality of life at the end of life, but its impact on hospice patients and caregivers needs more research. To assess the impact of MT intervention on symptom burden and well-being of hospice patients and caregivers. A total of 18 hospice patients, selected based on scores ≥4 on the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) items on pain, depression, anxiety, or well-being, participated in MT sessions provided by a board-certified music therapist.

Music Therapy Intervention to Reduce Caregiver Distress at End of Life: A Feasibility Study.

Background: Music therapy (MT) can relieve distressing end-of-life symptoms, but little is known regarding its effect on caregivers who are at risk for emotional distress as their loved ones approach death.

Measures: Quality of life (Linear Analogue Self-Assessment), depressive and anxiety symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety), and stress (Role Overload Measure) pre-MT, post-MT and at 6-month follow-up, as well as a satisfaction survey post-MT.

Intervention: Single MT session for 20-45 minutes OUTCOMES: 15/20 completed MT intervention, 14 also completed pre-MT and post-MT assessments, and 9 completed assessments at all 3 timepoints.

Music Therapy for Anxiety and Pain After Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study.

Background: Music therapy (MT) programs have been used in various health care settings to reduce patients' pain, anxiety, and stress. However, few studies have investigated its effects on patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), a frequently serious event requiring extensive rehabilitation.

Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of offering music-assisted relaxation (MAR) during rehabilitation for patients with SCI.