A Pilot Feasibility Study of a Virtual Group Drumming Intervention for Cancer-related Fatigue and Anxiety

ABSTRACT

Methods: Twenty cancer patients who had undergone at least one treatment session of chemotherapy or radiation therapy were randomized into a six-week group drumming intervention or a 6-week attentional control consisting of a group educational film series. Feasibility was determined through evaluation of participant accrual, session attendance adherence rates, and drop out rates. Outcomes of interest were fatigue and anxiety levels over 8 weeks. Participants were also interviewed about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their fatigue and anxiety levels. Results: Recruitment of 26 participants was planned, but 20 participants were recruited and consented, which resulted in 76.9% accrual rate. There was a 95% study retention rate with one withdrawal after consent due to an unexpected death in the family. Attendance at study sessions was also high;92% for the intervention group and 93% for the attentional control group. Over the course of the study, both groups significantly improved on fatigue (drumming p=.006;attentional control p=.034) and anxiety levels (drumming p=.013;attentional control p=.047) but the intervention group was not significantly different from the attentional control. The majority of participants said concerns about COVID-19 did not affect their ratings of fatigue and anxiety during the study. Background: The purpose of this study was to investigateinitial feasibility and potential impact of a 6-week virtual group drumming intervention for cancer patients' fatigue and anxiety as compared to an attentional control. Conclusion: Virtual group drumming was a feasible intervention for cancer patients. Both the drumming intervention and attentional control participants showed improvements in fatigue and anxiety from baseline to study end. The study was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and a virtual group activity may have been welcomed while observing social isolation. Alternately,both group drumming and a group film experience may have therapeutic benefit for cancer-related fatigue and anxiety. More study is needed to determine efficacy.