title: Perception of gastrointestinal endoscopy by patients and examiners with and without background music.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies have reported improved patient comfort with music in the preoperative setting, however music has seldom been assessed during gastrointestinal endoscopy. We aimed to assess how background music may influence the perception of patients and examiners involved in endoscopic examinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  301 patients (128 females, 173 males; mean age 59 years) were included in the study (EGD and colonoscopy) in a prospective fashion. 90 EGD and 61 colonoscopies were performed with music (50.17%) and 102 EGD and 48 colonoscopies without music (49.83%). Patients, nurses and endoscopists completed a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in demographic data were found between the patients examined with or without music. Tolerance to the examination, pain sensation and perception of the endoscopy room ambiance were similar in both groups. The majority of patients (83.4%) expressed a preference for music during any future endoscopic examination and none perceived the music as disturbing. During the 151 examinations, music was considered unpleasant in 14 examinations by the physicians (9.3%) and in 11 examinations by the nurses (7.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Music has little influence on patients' experience of gastrointestinal endoscopy. Nevertheless, the majority of patients felt music to be helpful and expressed a preference for music during any future examination. This positive attitude to music of patients is in contrast with the assessment of some endoscopists and nurses.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland. janek.binek@kssg.ch
authors.forename: Janek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Binek
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sagmeister
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borovicka
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knierim
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magdeburg
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyenberger
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies