Abstract
To investigate the influence of music together with visual objects as an ambiance in the waiting room on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients scheduled to receive chemotherapy in outpatient setting for the first time. Breast cancer patients planned to receive adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the first time between November 1, 2020, and July 31, 2021, were included. Two designs, including a standard waiting room (StWR) and an intervention waiting room (IWR) that was created by adding music and visual objects to the standard room, were constructed. These 2 designs were repeated sequentially in monthly periods, and a total of 104 patients with 52 in each group were randomized. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADs) were used for assessments. Results of the patients in StWR and IWR groups were compared. Both HADs anxiety and STAI-state anxiety scale scores were lower in patients who waited in IWR compared to those who waited in StWR (p = 0.041, p = 0.012, respectively). In patients in the IWR group, mean heart rate was lower by 7.6bpm (p = 0.009). No difference was found between the groups with regard to HADs depression score and STAI-trait anxiety score (p = 0.305, p = 0.535, respectively). For all patients, HADs anxiety scale (r = 0.400, p = < 0.001) and STAI-state anxiety scale (r = 0.475, p = < 0.001) scores increased as the waiting time increased. The present study is the first to investigate the influence of adding music together with visual objects to the standard ambiance of the chemotherapy waiting room on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients. We propose that introduction of paintings, artificial plants, and music to the ambiance of the waiting room has a significantly positive effect on alleviating anxiety levels of cancer patients waiting for chemotherapy.
Highlights
Anxiety, which was first described by Sigmund Freud, is a feeling of danger against moral, neurotic and objective risks [1]
Results of the patients in standard waiting room (StWR) and intervention waiting room (IWR) groups were compared. Both Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADs) anxiety and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)-state anxiety scale scores were lower in patients who waited in IWR compared to those who waited in StWR (p=0.041, p=0.012, respectively)
The present study is the first to investigate the influence of adding music together with attractive visual objects to the standard ambiance of the chemotherapy waiting room on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients
Summary
Anxiety, which was first described by Sigmund Freud, is a feeling of danger against moral, neurotic and objective risks [1]. The individual feels alarmed and experiences a sense of expecting something negative. Spielberg and colleagues divide anxiety into two as state anxiety and trait anxiety. While state anxiety is a mood related with “that moment” induced by environmental stress factors, trait anxiety is a “long standing” mood that arises independently from immediate risks and continues lifelong, affecting the behaviors of the individual [2,3]. Breast cancer is among the most common cancer types in women and causes approximately 15% of cancer-related deaths in women [4]. Breast cancer patients feel intensive psychological stress at the time of diagnosis, and anxiety and depression are common in these patients [5,6]
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