Prospective Controlled Evaluation of the Influence of an Excursion to a Health Resort on Medical Students’ Opinion about Chances for Outpatient Rehabilitation at a Health Resort

Objective: To assess the influence of an excursion to a health resort on students’ opinion on the chances for outpatient rehabilitation at a health resort for cardiac and rheumatic diseases. Methods: A group of 17 medical students went on a 1-day excursion to Bad Orb (near Frankfurt/M.) where mainly patients with heart diseases are treated. Another group of 44 students went on a 5-day excursion to Bad Gastein (Austria) where mainly patients with rheumatic diseases are treated. Before and after the excursion students completed a questionnaire asking their opinion on the chances for outpatient rehabilitation at a health resort for acute and chronic cardiac and rheumatic diseases. Results: Students judged the chances for beneficial effects of outpatient rehabilitation at a health resort for chronic rheumatic diseases to be significantly better after the excursion to Bad Gastein than before, whereas there was no difference after the excursion to Bad Orb. Conclusion: Students’ opinion of chances for outpatient rehabilitation at a health resort can be influenced by an excursion to a spa, but a single 1-day excursion may not be sufficient.