How general practitioners promote 'lifestyle' physical activity.
We investigated how General Practitioners (GPs) promote lifestyle physical activity (PA) ('accumulate 30 min of at least moderate PA on 5 or more days per week': PA30 x 5) to patients in the different stages of change, using a range of counselling strategies. These strategies included six 'A' factors (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assure, Arrange a follow-up, and Applaud). In a postal questionnaire (68% return rate), 47% of GPs from a single UK health district reported regularly promoting PA30 x 5. A stepwise logistic regression identified three counselling strategies that predicted regularly promoting PA30 x 5: (1) arrange follow-ups for patient pre-contemplators (OR=4.93), (2) patient contemplators passed to GP exercise referral scheme (OR=2.34), and (3) asking relapsers about their PA30 x 5 (OR=2.61). GPs who regularly promote PA30 x 5 base their counselling on patients' pre-existing PA behaviour, using 'effortful', 'stage-matched' approaches. Since these are acceptable to GPs, in-service training may build on using these three factors.
McKenna
J
J
Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TP, UK. jim.mckenna@bristol.ac.uk
Vernon
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003376:Counseling / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom