Study on effect of music therapy in pain score, sleep quality and length of stay in female elderly after orthopaedic operation

Abstract Description

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Authors (including presenting author) :

YIP YW

Affiliation :

Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital

Introduction :

Major workload of orthopedic departments in Hong Kong mainly come from elderly patients with fracture and occupy a large portion of orthopaedic beds in public hospitals. Inadequate sleep and unsatisfactory pain relief are obstacles from healing and recovery. In order to promote early mobilization and shorten hospitalization period after orthopedic surgery, non-pharmacological management in pain relief and sleeping quality in female elders after operation were explored.

Objectives :

1) To examine effect of music therapy in pain control and sleep quality after orthopaedic surgery among female elderly 2) To evaluate the relationship between pain control and sleep quality 3) To evaluate the association of the above variables and length of stay

Methodology :

Female elderly who admitted due to limb(s) fracture and required surgical intervention were recruited. On the first night of post-operation, either 60-minute music listening via MP3-player or earplugs wearing were assigned to participants by block randomization. A pre-test on pain score and sleep quality were interviewed before sleep. Smart watch were worn throughout the night for objective sleep measurement. A post-test on pain score and sleep quality were evaluated again in the next morning. The length of stay were calculated by electronic Patient Record in hospital CMS.

Result & Outcome :

Total 45 eligible patients were recruited from December 2017 to March 2018. Both group reported increased pain score and sleep quality. The increase in pain score is close to significant in earplugs group (p=0.056) but not music group. Besides, music group participants showed a trend toward better sleeping score in each single items. Overall music group participants got 9.7% improvement in sleep quality compared with 3.4% in earplugs group. Moreover sleep score demonstrated a moderate correlation with pain score (r=-.550, p=.003) and wearable-derived sleeping time (r=.628, p< .001). No reduction in length of stay was demonstrated. Despite music intervention in this survey failed to demonstrate a statistically significant change in overall pain control and sleep quality, the overall trend in sleeping quality was in favor of music therapy than control group. This study provided a new insight in music effect used in hospital and feasibility of using commercially available wearable device in clinical setting, providing professional with a research-based alternative relaxation tool for elderly.