The Effects of Music, White Noise, and Ambient Noise on Sedation and Anxiety in Patients Under Spinal Anesthesia During Surgery

Purpose To compare effects of music, white noise, and ambient (background) noise on patient anxiety and sedation. Design Open, parallel, and randomized controlled trial. Methods Seventy-five patients aged 18 to 60 years who were scheduled for surgical procedures under spinal anesthesia were randomly assigned to ambient noise (Group O), white noise (Group B), or music groups (Group M). We evaluated patients' anxiety and sedation levels via the Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (OAA/S) scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. Finding At 5 minutes before surgery, the STAI-State Anxiety Inventory (SA) value was significantly lower in Group M than the other groups. At 30-minute recovery, Group M showed significantly lower STAI-SA values than the other groups. Patient satisfaction was highest in Group M. OAA/S values were not significantly different between groups during any period ( P > .05). Conclusions We suggest that patient-selected music reduces perioperative anxiety and contributes to patient satisfaction during the perioperative period.