RecruitingNot Applicable

Differences in Acceptability of Music Therapy Sessions Played Live Compared to a Recording Thereof

Switzerland25 participantsStarted 2023-10-24

Plain-language summary

The present study seeks to assess differences in feasibility and acceptability of music therapy played live and listening to a recording thereof at the palliative care ward of the University Hospital Zurich. As a secondary objective the investigators aim to extend the limited findings on the putative effect of music therapy in palliative care populations derived from objective measures of human autonomic response combined with subjective psychological outcomes to support evidence-based medicine. The investigators will implement a commercially available tracker, the wristband 287-2 by Corsano, to investigate multiple simultaneous biomarkers of autonomic response to music therapy and a recording thereof, such as heart rate, heart rate variability, electrodermal activity and distal body temperature. To investigate subjective quality of life and psychological outcomes, the investigators will administer highly validated and widely used questionnaires, namely the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire 15 Palliative Care, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age \>18 years old * Capacity to provide informed consent * Patients with established diagnosis of a metastatic cancer/severe illness with limited life expectancy on a palliative care ward at the University Hospital Zurich Exclusion Criteria: • Inability to answer a questionnaire due to physical limitations as well as cognitive or linguistic reasons.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

intervention-specific acceptability questionnaire based on Theoretical Framework of Acceptability

Timeframe: immediately before and after the intervention

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06108375

SponsorUniversity of Zurich

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2025-12

Contact for this trial

David Blum, Prof.Dr.med.

0041 43 253 37 42 david.blum@usz.ch

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Terminal Illness trials