Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40317755›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of geriatric psychiatry2025

Experiences and Management of Distress and the Use of Music, Including Music Therapy, on NHS Inpatient Mental Health Dementia Wards: A Qualitative Study.

Naomi Thompson, Rachel Hunt, Helen Odell-Miller, Abdulwarrith Olawale, Lucy Pickering, Chris Pointon, Benjamin R Underwood, Alison Wilkinson, Christine Wise, Emma Wolverson and 1 more

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In one paragraph

Article in International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Naomi ThompsonCambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7900-1468
Rachel HuntPublic Contributor, Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Helen Odell-MillerCambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Abdulwarrith OlawaleCambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Fulbourn Hospital, Fulbourn, UK.
Lucy PickeringPublic Contributor, Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Chris PointonPublic Contributor, Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Benjamin R UnderwoodCambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Fulbourn Hospital, Fulbourn, UK.
Alison WilkinsonPublic Contributor, Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Christine WisePublic Contributor, Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Emma WolversonInpatient Dementia Patient and Public Involvement Group, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Ming-Hung HsuCambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.

Funding

Anglia Ruskin UniversityGnodde Goldman SachsNIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre BRC1215-20014Research for Patient Benefit Programme NIHR204928
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInpatient mental health dementia wards in the National Health Service (NHS) provide specialist care for people with dementia experiencing acute levels of distress. There is little research exploring how best to manage and prevent distress. Music therapy may be feasible to deliver and reduce the prevalence of distress behaviours.

aimsTo further understanding of experiences of distress in inpatient mental health dementia NHS wards, how distress is managed and ways music and music therapy is used.

methodsSemi-structured focus groups and interviews were co-designed and conducted with people with dementia, families, staff, music therapists and managers with experience of this setting. Data were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with findings corroborated with participants, a co-design group and experts-by-experience.

results49 people took part from 17 wards. Three overarching themes were identified, with 10 subthemes. The first theme highlighted the complex physical and mental health care needs of people on these wards, including high levels of distress. Secondly, staff and families aimed to personalise care to manage and prevent distress. Thirdly, music, including music therapy, could support the delivery of personalised care and help prevent and deescalate distress behaviours, potentially reducing the need for restrictive interventions. However, managers, staff, families and patients reported that care provision did not always meet patient need and resource limitations often prevented delivery of personalised care.

conclusionsNHS mental health dementia wards provide specialist care for people with dementia experiencing high levels of distress. Personalised care, including the use of music, was essential for preventing and managing distress, and could be enhanced through specialist support from a music therapist. Findings should inform best practice guidelines for NHS inpatient mental health dementia wards, including the use of music and music therapy, to support the prevention and management of distress for this client group.

Indexed as

DementiaInpatientsMusic TherapyStress, PsychologicalAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFocus GroupsHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedPsychiatric Department, HospitalQualitative ResearchState MedicineUnited Kingdomco‐designdementiadistressinpatient mental health dementia wardsmusicmusic therapyqualitative study

Identifiers

PMID40317755
PMCPMC12048746

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.