The experience and expectations of terminally ill patients receiving music therapy in the palliative setting: a systematic review

Review question/ Objectives The aim of this review is to critically analyse existing evidence related to terminally ill patients’ experiences and expectations of using music therapy in the palliative setting. Expectations: • What are patients’ specific reasons for receiving music therapy? • What influence the patients’ decision on the use of music therapy? • Did the patients perceive any benefits or detriments from the use of music therapy? Experiences: • What are the experiences of patients using music therapy? • What are the patients’ feelings during the music therapy session?   Criteria for considering studies for this review Types of Participants This review will consider adult patients who are terminally ill receiving palliative care in a hospital, an in-patient hospice, a nursing home, or their own homes, regardless of their diagnosis. Patients should also have undergone at least one individual music therapy session with a trained music therapist, and should also not be cognitively impaired during the time of research. Types of interventions/ Phenomena of interest The qualitative section of this review will consider studies that include the experiences of terminally ill patients using music therapy as an intervention. The phenomena of interest will focus on the patients’ expectations of music therapy, and their experience with music therapy. The quantitative component of the review will consider studies that include music therapy as an intervention for terminally ill adult patients in the palliative setting.