Effect of music on pain, anxiety and patient comfort during colonoscopy

ABSTRACT Aim: This study was planned and performed using a randomized controlled trial for the purpose of finding out the effect of music on pain, anxiety level and patient comfort during colonoscopy. Materials and Methods: This research is composed of 112 adult patients (56 controls and 56 interventions) who met the criteria of this study from Celal Bayar University Hafsa Sultan Hospital General Surgery Department's Endoscopy Unit between October 15th, 2015 and September 15th, 2016. An approval was received from Ethical Commission and patients before this study was performed. Data was collected using personal information forms, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to determine the pain and comfort level, Spielberger state-trait anxiety level measurement as well as face-to-face meetings with the patients. Prior to colonoscopy procedure, anxiety levels of all patients were determined using Spielberger's state-trait anxiety level measurement at the endoscopy unit. Patients at the intervention group listened to a music with the helps of a mp3 player and a headphone during colonoscopy for 30 min. Patients at the control group were only applied a routine colonoscopy procedure with no external treatment. VAS-pain and VAS-comfort levels of the patients at the intervention group obtained at the minutes of 15, 30 and 45 were recorded during colonoscopy as well as before and after this procedure. Spielberger state-trait anxiety level measurement was again applied after colonoscopy. Same parameters were also measured for the control group patients at the same recording times. Statistical methods were applied during data analyses such as Chi-square test, Student t-test, Mann Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Temporal variations within the groups were evaluated by ANOVA in Repeated Measures and Friedman test. Findings: The mean VAS-pain level for patients at the intervention group prior to colonoscopy was found to be 2,75±0,92 and after colonoscopy it was determined to be 1,73±0,94. The mean VAS-pain level for patients at the control group prior to colonoscopy was found to be 2,10±0,73 and after colonoscopy it was determined to be 4,51±1,71. The mean VAS-comfort level for intervention group patients was determined to be 2,83±0,82 prior to colonoscopy, and after colonoscopy as 6,60±1,92, while values for the control group patients prior to colonoscopy was 3,16±0,68 and 1,42±0,93 after colonoscopy. The mean Spielberger state anxiety levels of the intervention group patients before colonoscopy was 46,35±5,09 and this level was determined to be 42,50±4,86 after colonoscopy while for the control group patients these levels were found to be 46,14±4,88 before treatment and 48,94±0,20 after procedure. A statistically significant difference was found between VAS-pain, VAS-comfort and Spielberger state anxiety levels for both group patients before and after colonoscopy (p<0,05). Intervention group patients' pain and anxiety level decreased while comfort levels increasing in comparison to control group patients. A statistically significant difference could not be determined between intervention and control group patients in terms of Spielberger trait anxiety levels (p>0,05). It was observed that intervention group patients except oxygen saturation levels had a lower pulse, respiration, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared with control group patients. Conclusion: As a result of findings in this study, it was found that listening to a music during colonoscopy procedure has been decreasing pain and anxiety levels and increasing comfort levels and positively affecting vital findings. It is recommended that patients listen to a music during invasive procedures such as colonoscopy in addition to pharmacological methods. Keywords: Colonoscopy, music, pain, anxiety, patient comfort