Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Application-Supported Preventive Advice on Student Musicians' Health

Student musicians are particularly vulnerable to both physical and psychological health issues, with studies showing that 38% report pain from musical practice and over 50% experience high stress. Despite these risks, health resources tailored specifically to student musicians remain limited. This study aims to address this gap by testing a preventive, digital intervention to improve the well-being of this population. The intervention, delivered via a smartphone or tablet app, is designed to accommodate the unique demands of student musicians, such as frequent travel and time constraints. It includes health education, self-assessment tools, preventive health behavior advice, and interactive games designed to promote healthier work habits, daily routines, and overall health knowledge.

Student musicians are significantly affected by physical and psychological health issues. Previous studies highlighted that 38% of student musicians experience pain related to their musical practice over a 12-month period, and more than 50% report high levels of stress (general and specific to musical performance). Despite these concerning trends, tailored health resources and advice specific to student musicians remain rare. Improved work habits and daily health behaviors are crucial for primary prevention and could enhance both learning conditions and long-term health despite the high level of musical practice. Digital, evidence-based interventions, tailored to the specific needs of musicians, could offer a practical solution given their unique constraints, which include frequent travel, limited resources, and demanding schedules. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a smartphone/tablet-based preventive intervention for student musicians. The intervention is designed to improve their physical, psychological, and social well-being, as well as health knowledge. Given the health risks associated with pre-professional and professional music practice, these issues impact not only the well-being of student musicians but also their self-fulfillment and learning capacity. These issues justify the need for health support in music studies. It is currently recommended to develop health promotion approaches that integrate knowledge about health, self-assessment of risk factors, and the adoption of good daily habits. These approaches are most effective when tailored to the specific needs of musicians. This study will assess a preventive, digital intervention for student musicians over a 12-week period. The three groups involved are: GAppE (stand-alone app intervention plus 5 educational group sessions), GApp (app intervention used independently), and GC (no intervention). Health knowledge, physical, psychological, and social well-being, as well as daily life and work habits, will be assessed at three time points: 1) before the intervention, 2) 6 months after the start of the intervention, and 3) 12 weeks after the start of the intervention in all 3 groups. Moreover, after 6 and 12 weeks, participants in the GAppE and GApp groups will also evaluate their satisfaction with the app-based preventive intervention using standardized questionnaires. The hypothesis is that the intervention will be feasible, useful, and appreciated, and that it will have beneficial health outcomes, particularly when combined with educational group sessions.