title: Training physicians to conduct physical activity counseling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In accordance with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, the current pilot study tests the feasibility and efficacy of a physician-delivered physical activity counseling intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sequential comparison group design was used to examine change in self-reported physical activity between experimental (counseling and self-help materials) and control (usual care) patients at base-line and 6 weeks after the initial office visit. Patients in both groups were contacted by telephone 2 weeks after their office visit and asked about the physical activity counseling at their most recent physician visit. Experimental patients also received a follow-up appointment to discuss physical activity with their physician 4 weeks after their initial visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Counseling was feasible for physicians to do and produced short-term increases in physical activity levels. Both groups increased their physical activity, but the increase in physical activity was greater for patients who reported receiving a greater number of counseling messages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physician-delivered physical activity interventions may be an effective way to achieve wide-spread improvements in the physical activity of middle-aged and older adults.
authors.affiliation: Division of Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jette
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simkin-Silverman
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Milan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Washburn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rakowski
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dubé
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D010819:Physician's Role; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome