Music Therapy Supported the Health-Related Quality of Life for Children Undergoing Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants

Journal

Acta Paediatrica

Year

2018

Abstract

Aim: Paediatric haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a stressful treatment with an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and supportive interventions are needed. This study evaluated the effects of music therapy during and after HSCT. Methods: This was a randomised clinical pilot study of 29 patients aged 0–17 years who underwent HSCT at Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden, between February 2013 and May 2017. The music therapy group comprised 14 children who received the music therapy during hospitalisation. Fifteen children in the control group received the intervention after discharge. Music therapy was offered twice a week for four to six weeks. The patients’ HRQoL, pain and mood were evaluated at admission, discharge and after six months. The instruments for HRQoL included the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 generic core scales. Results: The scales showed that the music therapy group had a higher estimated physical function (adjusted p = 0.04) at the time of discharge, and the control group showed improved results after the intervention in all domains (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Despite the small sample, we found improved HRQoL after music therapy, which suggests that it could be a complementary intervention during and after paediatric HSCT.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Cancer; Children; Invasive Medical Procedures; Mood; Music Therapy; Pain; Pediatric Cancers; Postoperative Patients; Quality of Life; Stem Cell Transplantation; Surgical Patients

Indexed Terms

hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; posttraumatic stress disorder; quality of life; academic achievement; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; acute myeloid leukemia; Adolescents; cancer patient; cancer therapy; Children; child hospitalization; clinical article; comparative study; controlled study; hospital admission; hospital discharge; human; Infants; interpersonal communication; mental health recovery; mood; myelodysplastic syndrome; nausea; newborn; pain; Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory; pilot study; priority journal; psychological well-being; psychosocial care; randomized controlled trial; social interaction

Study Type

Randomized Controlled Trial; Quantitative Methods

Document Type

Article

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