The effects of selected relaxing music on anxiety and depression during hemodialysis: A randomized crossover controlled clinical trial study

• The aim of this study was to determine the effect of selected relaxing music on anxiety in patients during hemodialysis.
• In addition this study has evaluated the effect of selected relaxing music on depression in patients during hemodialysis.
• According to the result of this study, Music therapy cannot reduce depression and anxiety in HD patients.
• Due to the limited number of studies into the effect of music therapy on HD patients, further investigations in this matter are recommended.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of selected relaxing music on anxiety and depression in patients during hemodialysis. This crossover clinical trial involved 102 patients undergoing hemodialysis at a leading hospital in an urban setting. Patients were randomly assigned to groups A (treatment) and B (control) and their levels of anxiety and depression at the beginning and the end of the hemodialysis were measured using Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory tests, respectively. Both groups consecutively, and with a two-week washout, listened to experimenter selected instrumental music on their earphones individually for three hours. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 18. No significant differences in BDI-II (P = 0.253), t-anxiety (P = 0.546), and s-anxiety (P = 0.253), T-Anxiety (P = 0.546), and S-Anxiety (P = 0.776) was observed between the two groups prior to hemodialysis. There was not any significant difference in BDI-II (P = 0.253) and T-anxiety (P = 0.253) and T-Anxiety (P = 0.546) between the two groups after hemodialysis. However, a significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding s-anxiety (PS-Anxiety (P = 0.021). Yet, this difference did not imply the positive effect of listening to music in reducing the s-Anxiety level. The findings indicate that the use of recorded music did not reduce depression and anxiety in HD patients. However, due to the limited number of studies into the effect of music listening for patients receiving hemodialysis, further investigations in this matter are recommended.