Music Therapy Effectiveness by Duration in Patients With Cancer: A Meta-Regression

Journal

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care

Year

2023

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Several reviews and meta-analyses have reported on music therapy for physical and emotional well-being among patients with cancer. However, the duration of music therapy offered may range from less than 1 hour to several hours. The aim of this study is to assess whether longer duration of music therapy is associated with different levels of improvement in physical and mental well-being. METHODS: Ten studies were included in this paper, reporting on the endpoints of quality of life and pain. A meta-regression, using an inverse-variance model, was performed to assess the impact of total music therapy time. A sensitivity analysis was conducted for the outcome of pain, among low risk of bias trials. RESULTS: Our meta-regression found a trend for positive association between greater total music therapy time and improved better pain control, but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There is a need for more high-quality studies examining music therapy for patients with cancer, with a focus on total music therapy time and patient-related outcomes including quality of life and pain.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Cancer; Mental Health; Music Therapy; Pain; Quality of Life; Wellness and Well-Being ((Outcome))

Indexed Terms

Neoplasms; cancer; Pain; Pain Management; Quality of Life

Study Type

Meta-Analysis; Quantitative Methods

Document Type

Article

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