Who accesses warm water therapy?

Warm-water (90-93ºF) therapy is a promising self-directed rehabilitation modality for people suffering from chronic diseases affecting their neuromusculoskeletal systems. Warm-water therapy is effective because it combines physiological rehabilitation methods along with fostering supportive social networks. Clinical trials have demonstrated the therapeutic effectiveness of water therapy for people with mild mobility impairments. Health benefits attributed to self-management therapies in general have been demonstrated, most notably with chronic arthritis where reductions of pain by 20% and overall healthcare savings of 40% have been achieved. Due to the aging U.S. population there is growing interest in additional research that explores benefits of self-directed rehabilitative programs for people with moderate to severe physical impairments. We conducted a local needs assessment to evaluate primary motivations for utilizing warm-water therapy and self-reported benefits among 350 participants ages 30-80 years with one or more chronic disease. To our knowledge, our exploratory research is the first to assess motivation and self reported benefits of warm-water therapy. Results of this study will be reported along with implications for future research regarding managing chronic disease using warm water therapy.