The Use of Music by Adolescents and Young Adults With Sickle Cell Disease

Journal

Creative Nursing

Year

2020

Abstract

Pain is common and often severe in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), occurring as acute intermittent pain episodes called vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs), as well as chronic pain conditions including bone infarctions, avascular necrosis of joints, and neuropathic pain. Analgesics such as opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), and anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain, although often necessary to manage these types of pain, are associated with side effects. Nonpharmacologic interventions such as to listening to music and music therapy may reduce pain. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of music by adolescents and young adults with SCD was helpful, and if so, the types of music that helped, and how music helped them. A convenience sample of nine English-speaking inpatients ages 13 to 21 years, with SCD and at least two prior hospitalizations for VOE, took part in interviews with music therapists. Participants were asked open-ended questions about both pain and music. Participants identified that music was helpful for pain relief as well as for mood regulation, focusing attention during cognitive tasks such as homework, distraction, relaxation, and feeling understood or connected with others. Despite this, while hospitalized, participants reported that they did not tend to use music to help with pain. These findings support the use of both music medicine and music therapy as interventions for pain and distress in adolescents and young adults with SCD.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Sickle Cell Disease; Pain; Acute Pain; Chronic Pain; Pain Management and Control; Therapeutic Music; Music Listening; Mood; Music Medicine; Adolescents; Subjective Measures

Indexed Terms

Adolescents; Anemia, Sickle Cell; nonpharmacologic interventions; pain management; Pain Management; pediatrics; sickle cell disease

Study Type

Descriptive Analysis; Quantitative Methods

PubMed ID

PMID: 32883819

Document Type

Article

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