Effects of music on depression in older people: a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of music on depression levels in older adults. Background.  Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in older adults, and its impacts on this group of people, along with its conventional treatment, merit our attention. Conventional pharmacological methods might result in dependence and impairment in psychomotor and cognitive functioning. Listening to music, which is a non-pharmacological method, might reduce depression.


METHODS
A randomised controlled study.


METHODS
The study was conducted from July 2009-June 2010 at participants' home in Singapore. In total, 50 older adults (24 using music and 26 control) completed the study after being recruited. Participants listened to their choice of music for 30 minutes per week for eight weeks.


METHODS
Depression scores were collected once a week for eight weeks.


RESULTS
Depression levels reduced weekly in the music group, indicating a cumulative dose effect, and a statistically significant reduction in depression levels was found over time in the music group compared with non-music group.


CONCLUSIONS
Listening to music can help older people to reduce their depression level.


CONCLUSIONS
Music is a non-invasive, simple and inexpensive therapeutic method of improving life quality in community-dwelling older people.
Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore City, Singapore. nurcmf@nus.edu.sg
Moon Fai
MF
Chan
Zi Yang
ZY
Wong
Hideaki
H
Onishi
Naidu Vellasamy
NV
Thayala
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012846:Singapore; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome