Training on evidence-based balneotherapy for medical students: The experience of the University of Parma
Keywords:
balneotherapy, thermal water, medical training, evidence-based medicine, healthAbstract
Understanding the scientifically proven properties of balneotherapy is a valuable element in the training of future medical doctors. This article describes the experience, since 2021, at the University of Parma, of teaching the benefits and limits of balneotherapy in the light of the scientific evidence. The Elective Teaching Activity (ETA), titled “Balneotherapy and Health: Scientific Evidence and Future Perspectives”, offers 1 university educational credit to students, and takes place over two consecutive days. The course contents are the following: an overview of the history of thermal baths, specific terminology and classification of water- and mud-based treatments, interpretation of scientific evidence, results of major studies on the topic, regulatory aspects and practical balneotherapy, a virtual tour of a health resort, bibliography, and contacts for further exploration of the subject. In 2023, at the end of the ETA, students were asked to evaluate the course. On average, participants' knowledge of balneotherapy increased by 42%, while their ability to critically evaluate scientific evidence increased by 20%. All students would recommend the course to their peers. This ETA not only enriches the academic training of medical students but also prepares them to consider balneotherapy as a valid and scientifically supported option in treating various pathologies. (www.actabiomedica.it)
References
Vaccarezza M, Vitale M. Crenotherapy: a neglected resource for human health now re-emerging on sound scientific concepts. Int J Biometeorol [Internet]. 2010 Sep;54(5):491–3. doi: 10.1007/s00484-010-0311-7
Carbone L, Napolitano G, Zoppini A. Annuario di diritto dell’energia 2017. Il regime dell'acqua e la regolazione dei servizi idrici [Internet]. Il Mulino; 2017. 458 p. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=MewIMQAACAAJ
Antonelli M, Donelli D, Veronesi L, Vitale M, Pasquarella C. Clinical efficacy of medical hydrology: an umbrella review. Int J Biometeorol [Internet]. 2021 Oct;65(10):1597–614. doi: 10.1007/s00484-021-02133-w
Maccarone MC, Magro G, Solimene U, Scanu A, Masiero S. From in vitro research to real life studies: an extensive narrative review of the effects of balneotherapy on human immune response. Sport Sci Health [Internet]. 2021 May 20;17(4):817–35. doi: 10.1007/s11332-021-00778-z
Kamioka H, Nobuoka S, Iiyama J. Overview of Systematic Reviews with Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials of Balneotherapy and Spa Therapy from 2000 to 2019. Int J Gen Med [Internet]. 2020 Jul 22;13:429–42. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S261820
Coccheri S, Gasbarrini G, Valenti M, Nappi G, Di Orio F. Has time come for a re-assessment of spa therapy? The NAIADE survey in Italy. Int J Biometeorol [Internet]. 2008 Jan;52(3):231–7. doi: 10.1007/s00484-007-0117-4
Fioravanti A, Karagülle M, Bender T, Karagülle MZ. Balneotherapy in osteoarthritis: Facts, fiction and gaps in knowledge. Eur J Integr Med [Internet]. 2017 Jan 1;9:148–50. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187638201730001X
Cheleschi S, Gallo I, Tenti S. A comprehensive analysis to understand the mechanism of action of balneotherapy: why, how, and where they can be used? Evidence from in vitro studies performed on human and animal samples. Int J Biometeorol [Internet]. 2020 Jul;64(7):1247–61. doi: 10.1007/s00484-020-01890-4
Calzetta L, Di Daniele N, Chetta A, et al. The Impact of Thermal Water in Asthma and COPD: A Systematic Review According to the PRISMA Statement. J Clin Med Res [Internet]. 2024 Feb 14;13(4). doi: 10.3390/jcm13041071
Mirandola P, Gobbi G, Micheloni C, et al. Hydrogen sulfide inhibits IL-8 expression in human keratinocytes via MAP kinase signaling. Lab Invest [Internet]. 2011 Aug;91(8):1188–94. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2011.76
Pozzi G, Masselli E, Gobbi G, et al. Hydrogen Sulfide Inhibits TMPRSS2 in Human Airway Epithelial Cells: Implications for SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Biomedicines [Internet]. 2021 Sep 20;9(9). doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9091273
Viegas J, Esteves AF, Cardoso EM, Arosa FA, Vitale M, Taborda-Barata L. Biological Effects of Thermal Water-Associated Hydrogen Sulfide on Human Airways and Associated Immune Cells: Implications for Respiratory Diseases. Front Public Health [Internet]. 2019 Jun 5;7:128. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00128
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Michele Antonelli, Federica Fasano, Licia Veronesi, Davide Donelli, Marco Vitale, Cesira Pasquarella
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Transfer of Copyright and Permission to Reproduce Parts of Published Papers.
Authors retain the copyright for their published work. No formal permission will be required to reproduce parts (tables or illustrations) of published papers, provided the source is quoted appropriately and reproduction has no commercial intent. Reproductions with commercial intent will require written permission and payment of royalties.
How to Cite
