An ecological approach with primary-care counseling to promote physical activity.
BACKGROUND
The study examined the effectiveness of primary-care counseling using a 2-pronged intervention to increase physical activity (PA) in a southeastern US city.


METHODS
Two hundred thirty-seven patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups (experimental [counseling and educational map], control group #1 [counseling only], or control #2 [standard care]) to identify PA differences. The experimental group received physician counseling and an educational map highlighting accessible recreational facilities within a 2-mile radius of the health center.


RESULTS
Patients in the experimental group increased their weekly PA in comparison with patients in the controls. Significant differences were observed for patients between groups for PA (F = 7.648, df 3,423, P = .000), PA x visits interaction (F = 5.500, df 3,423, P = .001), and the PA x group interaction (F = 3.068, df 6,848, P = .006).


CONCLUSIONS
This approach can perhaps increase the PA levels of underserved adults.
Reed
Julian
J
Dept of Health and Exercise Science, Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613, USA.
Malvern
Lori
L
Muthukrishnan
Suresh
S
Hardy
Rachael
R
King
Lauren
L
D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires