Clinical Applications of Music and Chemotherapy: The Effects on Nausea and Emesis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A summer music therapy program providing music listening opportunities to patients undergoing chemotherapy was initiated. Multiple data collection procedures were devised to determine the long-term effects of music on the frequency and degree of nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy, occurring posttreatment, and developing prior to treatment as anticipatory symptoms; the level of anxiety during chemotherapy administration as observed by peripheral finger temperature, verbal interaction, movement, and skin pallor; and attitudes about cancer and its treatment. Data were collected on 15 people who completed four or more chemotherapy treatments under one of several conditions isolating the influence of music. One group ( n = 5) listened to music during treatments one through four, while another ( n = 5) listened to music during treatments two through five. There were two comparable no-music groups ( n = 2, 3). Throughout the project, patients and staff reacted very favorably to the benefits of music listening during chemotherapy. Data analysis showed that both music groups reported less nausea than the no-music groups Data also demonstrated that the length of time before nausea began war much longer far the music groups than for the no-music groups. Other physiological and observed responses did not appear to be differentiated by music condition.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: