Hygienic assessment of summer weather conditions as a factor of rehabilitation in the main resorts of Ukraine

Aim: The research aims to evaluate weather patterns in the most visited Ukrainian rehabilitation resorts considering medical weather classification and subsequently development of relevant preventive recommendations. Materials and Methods: Data from the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine on medical tourism hotspots; NASA Earthdata «30-Meter SRTM» satellite imagery; Data on Р – аn atmospheric pressure (mb); R – a relative humidity (%); е – an absolute humidity (mb); Т – an air temperature (°C); О2 – oxygen concentration in the air (g/m3) were the materials in our study. Methods of hygienic description, photogrammetric method (a terrain model was constructed using NASA Earthdata «30-Meter SRTM» satellite imagery and QGIS software), and statistical data procession were used in the research. Results: Five locations, considering their representation of rehabilitation-promising areas of Ukraine were chosen (Zatoka; Myrhorod; Morshyn; Solotvyno; Khmilnyk). Most days with weather types requiring medical attention were in the Morshyn resort (70.7%), Myrhorod - 67.4%, Khmilnyk -52.8%, as well as Solotvyno - 54%, Zatoka - 61.7%. By biotropicity, statistical significances were found in temperature, relative humidity, and oxygen concentration. Conclusions: Weather patterns in the five most visited Ukrainian rehabilitation resorts were characterised by variability. Such findings must be considered for patients’ health monitoring while performing preventive medical examinations (it is better to organise them upon patients’ arrival at resorts) and giving relevant medical recommendations for risk groups. Morshyn and Myrhorod Resorts, considering the received data, should be provided with additional medical attention and weather-informing services, stressing the importance of medical-preventive measures.