Music reduces state anxiety scores in patients undergoing pleural procedures: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patient anxiety is an often overlooked complication of pleural diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Listening to music is effective in reducing patient anxiety in some endoscopy procedures but has not yet been evaluated in pleural procedures. AIM: To evaluate the benefits of music therapy during pleural procedures on a patient's anxiety, perceived pain and satisfaction with the procedure. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing therapeutic pleural procedures were randomised to music and control groups. Participants in the music group listened to self-selected music using ear-bud headphones for the duration of the procedure. State anxiety was assessed before and after the procedure using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Physiological parameters were also measured. RESULTS: Sixty patients were included in the study. In the music group, a reduction in state anxiety scores were observed post-procedure (34 ± 11 vs 48 ± 13, P < 0.001), while no change was observed in the control group (40 ± 11 vs 42 ± 11, P = 0.51). Participants in the music group had reductions in heart rate (87 ± 17 vs 95 ± 15, P = 0.04), systolic (121 ± 13 vs 130 ± 16, P = 0.02) and diastolic blood pressure (72 ± 8 vs 78 ± 9, P = 0.01) post procedure compared to the pre-procedures values. A similar change was not detected in the control group: heart rate (86 ± 17 vs 85 ± 15, P = 0.73), systolic (133 ± 21 vs 134 ± 20, P = 0.83) and diastolic blood pressure (77 ± 9 vs 79 ± 10, P = 0.30). There was no difference in patient pain scores (P = 0.8), willingness to undergo the procedure again (P= 0.27), satisfaction with the performance of the pleural procedure (P = 0.20) and duration of the procedure (P = 0.68) between the music and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Listening to music appears to be beneficial in reducing anxiety in patients undergoing pleural procedures.

Disparities in hepatitis C care across Canadian provincial prisons: Implications for hepatitis C micro-elimination.

Background: Delivery of hepatitis C virus (HCV) care to people in prison is essential to HCV elimination. We aimed to describe current HCV care practices across Canada's adult provincial prisons. Methods: One representative per provincial prison health care team (except Ontario) was invited to participate in a web-based survey from January to June 2020. The outcomes of interest were HCV screening and treatment, treatment restrictions, and harm reduction services. The government ministry responsible for health care was determined. Non-nominal data were aggregated by province and ministry; descriptive statistical analyses were used to report outcomes. Results: The survey was completed by 59/65 (91%) prisons. On-demand, risk-based, opt-in, and opt-out screening are offered by 19 (32%), 10 (17%), 18 (31%), and 9 (15%) prisons, respectively; 3 prisons offer no HCV screening. Liver fibrosis assessments are rare (8 prisons access transient elastography, and 15 use aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio or Fibrosis-4); 20 (34%) prisons lack linkage to care programs. Only 32 (54%) prisons have ever initiated HCV treatment on site. Incarceration length and a fibrosis staging of ≥F2 are the most common eligibility restrictions for treatment. Opioid agonist therapy is available in 83% of prisons; needle and syringe programs are not available anywhere. Systematic screening and greater access to treatment and harm reduction services are more common where the Ministry of Health is responsible. Conclusions: Tremendous variability exists in HCV screening and care practices across Canada's provincial prisons. To advance HCV care, adopting opt-out screening and removing eligibility restrictions may be important initial strategies.