Effect of Music Therapy in Relieving the Symptom Experiences and Improving Outcomes of Critical Care Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The critical care patients often have unpleasant experiences while facing critical care activities that may impact on physiological and psychological changes. Music therapy is a simple complementary therapy that can promote relaxation, potentially affecting some outcomes for critical care patients. However, a systematic review related to the application of music therapy and the results obtained from music therapy is still limited. AIM: This systematic review aimed to explore and evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy interventions in relieving symptom experiences and improving outcomes of critical care patients. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of research articles focused on music therapy in critical care areas using three electronic databases, namely PubMed, CINAHL, and Science Direct. We selected English articles that had a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) design and published from 2005 to 2020. PICO format used to search literature; “Adult, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critically Ill Patients, Intensive Care, Surgical ICU, Cardiac Surgical ICU, Medical-Surgical ICU, Therapy Music, Music Therapy, Pain, Agitation, Stress. Anxiety, Delirium, Mobility, Sleep, Physiological, and Psychological. The risk of bias from 19 articles was evaluated by JBI. Furthermore, we assessed the manner and effect of music therapy on various symptoms. RESULTS: The researchers found 743 articles. After manual review, 19 RCTs (1711 participants) were identified and assessed. Based on the review, it was reported that music with a relaxed rhythm, soft tone, slow rhythm; duration from 15 to 60 min; 60–80 beats/min, and using headphones, has a significant effect on pain, anxiety, stress, delirium, mobilization, sleep quality, sedation levels, and physiological parameters. CONCLUSION: Music therapy has proved effective in reducing symptoms experiences of critical care patients. It is suggested to be used as a viable option in symptoms management of patients in ICU.