Expectations Regarding Gastein Healing Gallery Treatment and Their Connection to Health-Related Quality of Life

Loren Toussaint (), Kien Huynh, Niko Kohls, Fuschia Sirois, Hannah Alberts, Jameson Hirsch, Christian Hanshans, Quang Anh Nguyen, Antje van der Zee-Neuen and Martin Offenbaecher ()
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Loren Toussaint: Department of Psychology, Luther College, Decorah, IA 52101, USA
Kien Huynh: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Niko Kohls: Department of Social Work & Health, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany
Fuschia Sirois: Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
Hannah Alberts: School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
Jameson Hirsch: Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
Christian Hanshans: Department of Applied Sciences and Mechatronics, University of Applied Science Munich, 80335 München, Germany
Quang Anh Nguyen: Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
Antje van der Zee-Neuen: Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Gastein Research Institute, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Martin Offenbaecher: Gastein Healing Gallery, 5630 Bad Hofgastein, Austria

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: The present study examines connections between patient expectations and health-related quality of life. We explore a key distinction between expectations about general health and expectations for functional improvement. Patients were 1444 individuals with multiple conditions experiencing chronic pain who were seeking treatment at the Gastein Healing Gallery in Böckstein, near Bad Gastein, Austria. In addition to measures of expectations, patients completed measures of pain, mental and physical health, life satisfaction, fatigue, and sleep problems. Structural equation models were used to fit a latent variable model where both expectation variables were used to predict health-related quality of life. Results showed that expectations regarding potential functional improvement resulting from treatments at the Gastein Healing Gallery were associated with improved health-related quality of life. Expectations about general health improvements related to treatment were not associated with health-related quality of life. To facilitate optimal healing, clinicians may decide to emphasize expectations about functional recovery when discussing treatment methods similar to those offered at the Gastein Healing Gallery, and in so doing, health-related quality of life may benefit.

Keywords: ecomedicine; Alpine health resources; speleotherapy; health expectations; health-related quality of life; Bad Gastein; Gastein Healing Gallery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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