title: The benefits of music in hospital waiting rooms.
abstract: This study investigated the impact of music on visitors in a hospital surgery/intensive care unit waiting room. The researchers controlled the presence/absence of music in the waiting area. Visitors' stress levels and perceptions of customer service were assessed through a questionnaire handed out by hospital volunteers. Results indicated that music reduced self-reported stress levels and that visitor stress levels were inversely related to perceptions of customer service. The implications of these findings for supervisors and other health care personnel are discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Business, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Routhieaux
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tansik
mesh_terms: D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009146:Music; D015206:Southwestern United States; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014789:Visitors to Patients / Q000523:psychology*