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Music care is an approach to care that supports anyone, regardless of their musical credentials, to use music in their day-to-day care of patients. It is distinct from music therapy which is provided by an individual with specific training in music therapy.
A recent pilot study conducted by Patel (2023) and colleagues explored the feasibility of a clinical trial examining the effects of recorded music care on the quality of life for patients in palliative care settings.
A group of 4 participants was recruited based on their palliative performance scale scores. The scores had to be >40, reflecting the severity of their condition. During this intervention, pre-developed music albums were created specifically for palliative care patients and were administered for a minimum of 30 minutes. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, the Hospice Quality of Life Index, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used for outcome measures.
In addition to quantitative outcomes measures, interviews were also conducted to get the perspectives of both participants and care providers. Feedback and insight were provided by participants, healthcare professionals, and music care experts. With the help of all these processes, necessary adjustments were made to the study protocol.
One significant adaptation that arose was the reduction of the duration of the intervention from a minimum of 30 minutes to 15 minutes, based on the feedback received from the participants and the healthcare professionals. Patient burnout also became a relevant factor, causing a drop of the score requirements to make the study more inclusive.
Participants reported that the recorded music had therapeutic benefits, revealing that further exploration on the effects on the Quality of Life measures in a separate study. Based on the positive feedback from the patients, further studies in the domain could be justified.
While the pilot study did not include statistical analyses, the results and protocols have proven to be beneficial for further studies in the palliative care setting. The findings suggest that it is important to have the flexibility to adjust the study depending on the findings and feedback from patients, each facing a unique situation with unpredictable challenges in the sensitive end-of-life care environment.
For future studies, researchers suggest implementing a second pilot study to validate the protocol changes. This can help ensure that the research design aligns with all aspects of the palliative care environment. Many interesting findings were discovered through this pilot study which can help contribute not only to the specific investigation of music care interventions but also to new methods of implementing research in the palliative care and hospice setting.
Source: Patel, A., Kim, C., Black, S., Foster, B., & Mackinnon, C. (2024). Investigating trial feasibility of music care in hospice and palliative care. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy.
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