title: Enhancing cancer patient well-being with a nonpharmacological, heritage-focused intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated considerable improvements in cancer patient well-being, although there is a little clinically robust, empirical evidence to demonstrate the value of heritage-focused practices.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the effectiveness of a novel, nonpharmacological, heritage-focused intervention with adult female inpatients receiving cancer treatment in oncology wards of a large, central London hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the tactile experimental condition, participants handled and discussed a selection of museum objects with a facilitator, whereas in the visual control condition, participants discussed photographs of the same objects. Sessions were conducted on a one-to-one basis at patients' bedsides and lasted about half an hour. Quantitative measures of psychological well-being with proven reliability and validity were used in a pretest/post-test control group, quasi-experimental design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of positive emotion, well-being, and happiness were significantly enhanced in the experimental condition compared with the control condition for both oncology and nononcology patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate a future role for heritage-focused practices in enhancing health care environments.
authors: University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Linda J
authors: LJ
authors: Thomson
authors: Erica E
authors: EE
authors: Ander
authors: Usha
authors: U
authors: Menon
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Lanceley
authors: Helen J
authors: HJ
authors: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009144:Museums; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult