title: The connection between the primary care and the physical activity sector: professionals' perceptions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To stimulate physical activity (PA) and guide primary care patients towards local PA facilities, Care Sport Connectors (CSC), to whom a broker role has been ascribed, were introduced in 2012 in the Netherlands. The aim of this study is to assess perceptions of primary care, welfare, and sport professionals towards the CSC role and the connection between the primary care and the PA sector.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine focus groups were held with primary care, welfare and sport professionals within the CSC network. In these focus groups the CSC role and the connection between the sectors were discussed. Both top-down and bottom-up codes were used to analyse the focus groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Professionals ascribed three roles to the CSC: 1) broker role, 2) referral, 3) facilitator. Professionals were enthusiastic about how the current connection was established. However, barriers relating to their own sector were currently hindering the connection: primary care professionals' lack of time, money and knowledge, and the lack of suitable PA activities and instructors for the target group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides further insight into the CSC role and the connection between the sectors from the point of view of primary care, welfare, and sport professionals. Professionals found the CSC role promising, but barriers are currently hindering the collaboration between both sectors. More time for the CSC and changes in the way the primary care and PA sector are organized seem to be necessary to overcome the identified barriers and to make a success of the connection.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Dutch Trial register NTR4986 . Registered 14 December 2014.
authors.affiliation: Wageningen University & Research Centre, Department of Social Sciences, Health and Society Group, P.O. Box 8130, EW, Wageningen, The Netherlands. karlijn.leenaars@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Karlijn E F
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Leenaars
authors.affiliation: Wageningen University & Research Centre, Department of Social Sciences, Health and Society Group, P.O. Box 8130, EW, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annemiek M E
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Florisson
authors.affiliation: Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.affiliation: Wageningen University & Research Centre, Department of Social Sciences, Health and Society Group, P.O. Box 8130, EW, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagemakers
authors.affiliation: Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard R M
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Molleman
authors.affiliation: Wageningen University & Research Centre, Department of Social Sciences, Health and Society Group, P.O. Box 8130, EW, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Koelen
keywords: Broker role; Intersectoral collaboration; PA sector; Primary health care; Qualitative study