A randomized intervention of physical activity promotion and patient self-monitoring in primary health care.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effectiveness of prescription-based counseling and self-monitoring in the promotion of physical activity in primary health care.


METHODS
The study was conducted in Finland during 2003-2004. Physicians from 24 health care units (N = 67) were randomized to a prescription or a non-prescription group. The patients (N = 265) were assigned to the groups according to their physician. Every other patient of the non-prescription physicians received a pedometer and a physical activity log (MON) and feedback about their 5-day-recordings, the rest served as controls (CON). PA was assessed prior and 2 and 6 months after the physician's appointment with a questionnaire.


RESULTS
The mean increase in weekly overall physical activity at 2 months was 1.0 (95% CI 0.0 to 2.0) session more in the prescription group than in controls. In at least moderate-intensity physical activity, the mean difference in changes was 0.8 (95% CI 0.1 to 1.5) sessions at 2 months and 0.9 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.5) sessions at 6 months for the favor of the prescription group. Compared to controls, self-monitoring increased the weekly duration of overall PA at 2 months on average by 217 min (95% CI 23 to 411).


CONCLUSIONS
Prescription can be recommended as a tool for primary health care physicians to promote physical activity. Self-monitoring with an expert feedback can be useful in increasing especially the weekly duration of overall physical activity in the short term.
Aittasalo
Minna
M
The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, PO Box 30, FI-33501 Tampere, Finland. minna.aittasalo@uta.fi
Miilunpalo
Seppo
S
Kukkonen-Harjula
Katriina
K
Pasanen
Matti
M
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010821:Physicians, Family; D055656:Prescriptions; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking