Improvement in Patient Satisfaction and Anxiety With Perioperative Music Therapy in Patients Undergoing Total Abdominal Hysterectomy: A Single-Blind Prospective Study

Introduction Listening to music is a safe and low-cost way to reduce preoperative anxiety among patients, but more research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness fully. Aims The aim of the study is to identify the effect of intraoperative music therapy on the visual analogue scale for anxiety (VASA) scores (VASA 1 and VASA 2) and patient satisfaction score (PSS) perioperatively. Methods In a study of 188 patients aged 40-70, those in group A (94 patients) listened to pre-approved music during their surgery for abdominal hysterectomy, while group B (94 patients) did not. Both groups wore noise-cancelling earphones. VASA was recorded before (VASA 1) and after (VASA 2) the surgery. PSS was recorded in the postoperative ward. Music preferences were kept confidential from the investigator recording the scores. Result The two groups of patients had similar demographic profiles and baseline characteristics. The VASA 1 of both groups was similar, with a mean value of 4.36 ± 1.13 for group A and 4.23 ± 1.05 for group B (p = 0.606). However, group A had lower VASA 2 (1.79 ± 0.83) than group B (3.77 ± 0.98). The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The patient satisfaction score in group A was notably higher than those in group B. A total of 52 patients were highly satisfied in group A as compared to none in group B (p < 0.001), and a total of 42 patients were moderately satisfied as compared to eight patients in group B (p < 0.001). Eighty-six patients in group B were unsatisfied. Conclusion According to our research, playing specific music at the right volume can significantly lower anxiety levels and increase patients' satisfaction scores for those who have had abdominal hysterectomy surgeries.