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.