The Effect of Music Listening Intervention on Symptom Management and Quality of Life in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder severely impacting physical and psychosocial well‐being. Alongside pharmacological treatments, nonpharmacological interventions are increasingly sought. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a music listening intervention on symptom management and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The study included 88 patients at a university hospital. The intervention group listened to standardized Turkish music (maqams) twice daily for 30 days. Data were collected at baseline, day 15, and day 30 using the EuroQol 5‐dimensional Quality of Life Scale and Patient Symptom Thermometer. By day 30, the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher overall quality of life (EuroQol 5‐dimensional Index and Visual Analog Scale; P < .05) compared with controls. Significant improvements were also observed in pain intensity, fatigue, physical function, depression (all P < .001), and general health status (P = .004). Therapeutic music listening can be an effective, noninvasive, and cost‐efficient holistic nursing intervention. Integrating this sustainable strategy into rheumatoid arthritis care yields rapid, significant clinical improvements in multidimensional symptom management and overall quality of life.