Music, Noise, and the Environment of Care: History, Theory, and Practice

Abstract

Music and noise would seem to be polar opposites: One is thought to be disruptive, whereas the other is assumed to have pleasant, positive influences. The two are, however, conjoined in the ear of the listener, often begging the question of whether a sound is music or noise. The historical background and sources of music and noise as environmental influences have changed as sound levels have increased, as the industrial and digital revolutions have afforded each a wider reach, and as music has become ubiquitous with the advent of recording, distribution, and playback technologies. In spite of ample research, the relationship of music to background sounds commonly found in hospitals has not been thoroughly examined. This article is a historical review of the theories and science of noise and music in relationship to patient outcomes, considers the ways patients make meaning from what they hear, and provides a critique of research and practices with consideration to optimizing the auditory environment for hospitalized patients.

Keywords

hospital noise, acoustics, healing environments, music therapy, Florence Nightingale, NICU