Music in the Wound Care Center: Effects on Anxiety Levels and Blood Pressure Measurements in Patients Receiving Standard Care.

Background: Chronic wounds require frequent assessment, minor procedures, and dressing changes. Discomfort, anxiety, and stress are commonly reported during treatment procedures.

Purpose: To examine the effect of music during treatment on post-wound care treatment anxiety levels and blood pressure measurements in patients with chronic wounds.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in a wound care center within a nonprofit academic medical center with a before-and-after intervention measurement. A total of 222 consecutive patients were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (n = 112; classical music was played during treatment) or a control group (n = 110; no music was played during treatment) at their scheduled routine outpatient visits. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered and blood pressure measurements were obtained automatically by machine before and after the intervention. Pretreatment and posttreatment scores were compared using the paired t-test in SPSS 25.

Results: Patient age and sex did not differ between the intervention and control groups and pretreatment and posttreatment STAI scores; blood pressure measurements were almost identitical in the control group. In the intervention group, statistically significant differences between the pretreatment and posttreatment STAI scores (M = 45.94 and 40.83), systolic blood pressure measurements (M = 141.94 and 135.72), and diastolic blood pressure measurements (M = 70.93 and 66.23) were observed (P < .001).

Conclusion: In this study, playing classical music in the treatment room during wound care interventions resulted in a significant decrease in patient anxiety scores and blood pressure measurements.