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.