Five Approaches to Music as Health Promotion

Five Approaches to Music as Health Promotion

1. Introduction

The Danish” think tank” Music & Health has since 2018 based its work on this overview, where approaches to music as health promotion is divided into five different areas or fields with each their agents. - The overview was developed by professor emeritus in music therapy, Lars Ole Bonde, Aalborg University (DK).

2. Health Promoting Music Initiatives can be Designed within this Classification

2.1. Music Therapy

Music therapy is the specialized expertise in the use of music as a treatment modality for both mental and somatic disorders. The music therapy environment at Aalborg University accounts for most of the existing Danish research within the field and is a leading international agent. Music therapy is practiced in the treatment system by university-trained music therapists (candidates in music therapy), and the following tasks are typical:

a) treating patients with special needs one-on-one;

b) offering tailor-made interventions to larger or smaller groups,

c) developing environmental therapeutic services,

d) advising and educating staff in using music interventions and music medicine at the institution or hospital’s daily practice.

Examples: Case from psychiatry - in Jacobsen, Pedersen & Bonde (2019), pp. 246-254. Many other cases in the same book.

Literature: Jacobsen, S.L., Pedersen, I.N., & Bonde, L.O. (eds.) (2019). Music Therapy. Theory - Education - Practice - Research. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Aalborg University hosts a virtual research center, CEDOMUS: https://www.musikterapi.aau.dk/cedomus/ - with extensive introductions to music therapy in theory, practice and research - articles, links, videos etc.

2.2. Music Medicine

Music Medicine is the use of music (played live or through various, often specially designed playback equipment) for the benefit of hospital patients, outpatients or citizens in special institutions, in treatment as well as in the rehabilitation phase and in palliative care. Many different players are active here: Some composers provide specially composed music for different purposes, e.g. music for ambulances. Professional musicians play for patients with a stated treatment goal, such as reducing anxiety or depression. Music medicine must be prescribed in close dialogue with doctors, nurses and trained music therapists.

a) Examples: “The Music Star”, an app developed by music therapists at Aalborg UH Psychiatry. - Live music medicine is the subject of Margrethe Langer Bro’s PhD thesis (2019)

b) Literature: Jacobsen, Pedersen & Bonde (2019), chapter 3.9 Lund H, Bertelsen L, Bonde L O (2016) Sound and music interventions in psychiatry at Aalborg University Hospital. Sound Effects - An Interdisciplinary Journal of Sound and Sound Experience 6 (1): 48-68. https://doi.org/10.7146/ se.v6i1.24912

2.4. Music as Health Promotion

Specially designed music experiences are included - in line with other cultural experiences - in a number of “Culture on Prescription” projects, locally in the municipality of Aalborg - inspired by Swedish projects in the region of Skåne. Here we talk about authentic art experiences that are used to promote health - not as treatment offered by therapists but based on the well-documented knowledge that art experiences can have a health-promoting function. In Aalborg, the Northern Jutland Center of Culture and Health (NOCKS) is an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research and development center that develops initiatives within this subfield.

a) Example: “Cultural Vitamins”, a project for long-term sick people in the municipality of Aalborg. A report is available online.

b) Literature: Jacobsen, Pedersen & Bonde (2019), chapter 3.11.

2.5. Music as Diversion / Entertainment

Music as a diversion / entertainment in hospitals and institutions. More technological solutions are currently being developed, such as apps specifically aimed at hospital patients or people with dementia. The area is interesting in the context if specially composed music is included, and / or if the music selection is based on professional expertise on e.g. music for the regulation of arousal.

a) Example: The “Music Mind” App. with playlists developed specifically for care centres (with elements of music medicine, as one of the purposes is regulation of arousal)

b) Literature: https://musicmind.me/#!/s

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