Music in the relief of stress and distress in cancer patients

ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate the effects of music on the physiological stress and distress of cancer patients being treated in a hospital. Methods: quasi-experimental study carried out with cancer patients hospitalized in the nursing wards of a public hospital. There was a single 15-minute intervention using music. It was individual, and headphones were used for patients to listen to three songs chosen by each one. The levels of stress and distress were measured before and after the intervention, using music to analyze the cortisol in the saliva and the answers to the distress thermometer. The significance level of the statistical analysis was 5%, using the non-parametric Wilcoxon test. Results: the mean age of the 26 patients was 56 years old. Most were female, white, and had breast cancer. After intervention, there were statistically significant diminutions in both stress and distress — p < 0.001. Conclusions: the use of music diminishes the stress and the distress of cancer patients.