The efficacy of climatotherapy on medical rehabilitation outcomes: a systematic review

Abstract

Climatotherapy is the planned medical application of climatic factors for the improvement of functioning and prevention or treatment of diseases. Various climatic factors affect the physical and psychosocial functioning in persons with various health conditions including neuromuscular conditions, rheumatic diseases, and chronic respiratory illness. This systematic review is an evidence-based overview of the efficacy of the application of various climatotherapy on rehabilitation outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using medical/health science databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library (from inception till May 2022). Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and appraised study quality. Due to heterogeneity amongst included trials, a qualitative analysis provided the best evidence synthesis. Overall, 11 randomized controlled trials and 7 observational studies, which evaluated the impact of different climatic factors/conditions (such as warm/cold climate and high altitudes) on patient outcomes postrehabilitation interventions, were included. Most studies scored “low” on quality assessment due to methodological limitations. The findings suggest evidence for the beneficial effect of a warm climate in reducing disability and improved participation in patients with rheumatological, neuromuscular, and chronic respiratory conditions. Rehabilitation interventions conducted in warmer climate tends to enhance physical activity in some of these conditions. No data was available for adverse effects or associated care costs. Although the impact of climatic factors on rehabilitation outcomes is widely documented, high-quality research is sparse in this area. More methodologically robust studies are needed to build evidence for the use of climatotherapy to enhance rehabilitative care.