台灣以高密度的溫泉分佈著名於世。坊間媒體及一般業者皆大肆報導浸泡溫泉的健康效益，且民眾皆肯定浸泡溫泉有舒緩壓力及促進健康的效果。然而有關使用溫泉的治療效果或預防疾病之相關科學研究實為不多，故本研究之主要目的為探討長期浸泡溫泉對促進人體身體及心理健康的影響。研究以針對18歲以上，未滿30歲，並無任何溫泉禁忌症之青年人為對象，分為實驗組（20人）及對照組（20人）。實驗組進行每週兩次，每次二十分鐘，連續八週，共十六次溫泉浸泡；泉溫控制為40~42℃，採半身浴方式；而對照組則是不做任何溫泉介入，維持原日常生活行為。身體健康乃針對一般健康體適能項目進行評估，包含心肺適能（三分鐘登階）、肌肉適能（握力、屈膝仰臥起坐、立定跳遠）、身體組成（體脂肪率）及柔軟度（坐姿體前彎）；SF-36健康生活品質量表（SF-36）則用以評量整體生活品質程度。研究結果顯示，兩個月之後實驗組之健康體適能有明顯地進步，而且生活品質有向上提昇。對照組之健康體適能並無顯著差異，除了柔軟度數值有下降之趨勢。而且對照組之生活品質總分有明顯下降。故本研究證實溫泉浴療對於整體身體及心理健康有正面之效益，可作為未來推廣溫泉健康促進之科學依據。 Taiwan is famous for the high density distribution of hot springs in the world. Media and general industry have reported the extensive health benefits by balneotherapy, and people believe that balneotherapy has the effects of pressure relief and health promotion. However, to date there are only few scientific researches examing the therapeutic or prevention effects of balneotherapy. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of balneotherapy on human physical and mental health. Subjects were general healthy, between the age of 18 and 30 years, and randomized into experimental (N=20) and control (N=20) groups. Subjects in the experimental group received 8-week blaneotherapy for 20 minutes per time, and twice a week. The control group did not have any intervention. Physical health was estimated by measuring the health-related fitness measures. SF-36 healthy quality of life survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate the quality of life. After two months, all the measures of health-related fitness and quality of life for the experimental group showed significant improvement. In contrast, for the control group there were no differences in physical fitness measures except decreased flexibility. Moreover, the total score of quality of life in the control group was significantly decreased. The current study demonstrat that balneotherapy has significant positive effects on physical and mental health.
