This study examined the effects of music therapy (MT), immediate and over time, on patients' psychological functioning, quality of life, and physiologic stress arousal. This intervention, whereby patients use music strategies to cope with cancer-related stressors, is based on a transactional stress-coping framework. Using a longitudinal, randomized controlled design, 70 women with metastatic breast cancer received either MT or usual care. The MT consisted of three individual sessions led by a music therapist. Psychological symptoms were measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and quality of life with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General plus a a Spirituality subscale at baseline approximately 6 weeks and 3 months later. Visual analog scales, heart rate, and blood pressure were assessed in the MT group immediately before and after individual session. Significant immediate effects of MT were observed: relaxation, p = < .00001; comfort, p = < . 00001; happiness, p = < .00001; heart rate, p = .0003; although no significant differences between conditions were found over time. A high attrition rate underscored the complexities inherent in conducting intervention research with advanced cancer patients.

The growing population of people with dementia worldwide calls attention to the burdens associated with age-related decline that affects physiology, psychological and cognitive status, and social/emotional wellbeing. The current standards in geriatric care recommend non-pharmacological approaches to these challenges, including safe approaches to managing pain and stress, enhancing symptom relief, and fostering independent lifestyles with the highest quality of life possible. The purpose of this article is to provide definitions of music-based interventions, music therapy applications and clinician qualifications, as well as an umbrella mini-review of meta-analyses regarding music-based interventions for individuals with dementia. Our findings indicate that most descriptions of music therapy protocols in the research lack sufficient detail to enable researchers to compare and replicate studies, and clinicians to apply techniques. Definitions of music therapy and music-based interventions are inconsistent, and practitioners vary in their professional training and preparation for implementing music-based clinical strategies. We recommend that future researchers provide thorough descriptions of music therapy and music-based interventions in their protocols.

Music therapy has been applied with patients who present with acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, and other cardiac conditions. Music therapists integrate their techniques into cardiac care units, often treating patients who require assistance in coping with stress. This article reviews the research supporting the use of music as therapy and offers case examples to illustrate a variety of clinical methods.

The article reviews the effects of music and music therapy with adult oncology patients, summarizes major findings, discusses the difficulties inherent in research methodologies, and explores directions for future research. Although there is more qualitative than quantitative research, empiric investigations have found that music techniques are effective in managing pain and other physical symptoms, psychological distress, and mood. Health-related outcomes and quality of life have also been improved. Recommendations for future research include collaborative projects that (1) test established music therapy clinical protocols; (2) control for the presence of a music therapist; (3) identify the characteristics of patients who will potentially benefit most; (4) examine physiologic, psychological, behavioral, neurologic, immunologic, and spiritual outcomes; and (5) detect and control extraneous variability.

Pain is common and often severe in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), occurring as acute intermittent pain episodes called vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs), as well as chronic pain conditions including bone infarctions, avascular necrosis of joints, and neuropathic pain. Analgesics such as opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), and anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain, although often necessary to manage these types of pain, are associated with side effects. Nonpharmacologic interventions such as to listening to music and music therapy may reduce pain. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of music by adolescents and young adults with SCD was helpful, and if so, the types of music that helped, and how music helped them. A convenience sample of nine English-speaking inpatients ages 13 to 21 years, with SCD and at least two prior hospitalizations for VOE, took part in interviews with music therapists. Participants were asked open-ended questions about both pain and music. Participants identified that music was helpful for pain relief as well as for mood regulation, focusing attention during cognitive tasks such as homework, distraction, relaxation, and feeling understood or connected with others. Despite this, while hospitalized, participants reported that they did not tend to use music to help with pain. These findings support the use of both music medicine and music therapy as interventions for pain and distress in adolescents and young adults with SCD.

Question "Kneipp Therapy" (KT) is a form of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that includes a combination of hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, mind-body medicine, physical activities and healthy nutrition. Several Nursing homes (NH) in Germany started to integrate KT in the routine care of residents. The aim of this study was to investigate if caring with KT has effects on caregivers. Methods We conducted a prospective, exploratory, two-armed cohort study to compare NH with (KT group) and without KT (but with routine health preventive interventions; control group) over 12 months. Each NH with KT was matched to a control. Outcomes for caregivers included the SF-12 Health Survey, the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Results Altogether 111 caregivers were included from 7 NH (KT group, n = 48) respectively 6 NH (control group, n = 63). 95% of caregivers were female (43.4 ± 11.3 years, BMI 26.6 ± 5.3). At baseline, caregivers of the KT group showed better values for the COP-SOQ scales "feedback" (p = 0.043), "job satisfaction" (p < 0.001) and "burnout" (p = 0.008). After 6 months the control group was better in the COPSOQ scales "predictability of work" (p = 0.045) and after 12 months for "sense of community" (p = 0.047) and the physical component scale of the SF-12 (p = 0.039) compared to the KT group. Conclusions The study showed only minor differences between the caregivers of both groups. Caregivers´workability, quality of life and psychosocial burden at work seems to be less influenced by a CIM-oriented working-place approach.