Pilot study: physicians’ and health educators’ feasibility of physical activity counselling and written prescription as a tool for clinical practice.
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Lin, Jessica
Abstract
Introduction: Research has shown that promoting regular physical activity and decreasing sedentary behavior is a preventive measure for a healthier lifestyle. Although it is recognized that physical activity is important in a clinical setting, physicians do not always prescribe it on a daily basis due to barriers of time and knowledge (training). Clinicians play a key role in enabling and counseling patients to exercise. This raised the question on how to motivate exercise counselling and finding ways to overcome the barriers clinicians face. Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to observe the clinicians’ personal exercise and exercise counselling and to draw a trend comparison to the 2006 nationwide Taiwan survey. Secondly, this study was conducted to learn the effectiveness, satisfaction and practicality of the intervention. Finally, feedback from participants were documented and addressed for future improvements. Methods: 41 clinician participants were enrolled from a convenience sampling strategy in Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital. The “Healthy Move” intervention is based on the theory of planned behavior and provides a course and physical activity counselling tools for clinicians to use. This pilot study used both quantitative methods to analyze the intervention effectiveness and qualitative in-depth interview methods to gain participants’ feedback. Results: Exercise behavior and counselling were divided into 3 components, aerobic, stretch and strength exercise. A large amount of sedentary behavior is still seen in 29.3% of clinicians. Family physicians had a higher exercise habit than health educators in aerobic (60%; 47.6%) and strength (40%; 10.5%); overall exercise habits were slightly lower than the 2006 study participants. Health educators counselled more than physicians (aerobic 90.5%, 80%); stretching (76.2%, 66.7%); strengthening (66.7%, 40%); overall counselling habits were higher than the 2006 study participants. Quantitative data indicates the intention to use these materials was very high at the start, but the use of the material decreased after the intervention. Overall, most clinicians found the material useful and effective, although some identified its challenges in practice. More modifications need to be made to target elderly populations and practical exercise movements. Although quantitative data does now show significance in intervention effectiveness, qualitative data support that this intervention is a good starting program and served as a checklist and reminder when giving exercise counselling. More than half of the participants were willing to continue with these learning projects after the intervention ended. Conclusion: This is one of the first few studies to pilot a specific program in behavior change and counselling skills for promoting physical activity in Taiwan. The importance of this study is to provide a tool for the hospital staff to promote physical activity to the community, as well as address the health of staff in their own personal physical activity and sedentary behavior. Thereby, this study proposes new innovative ideas for the hospital’s health promotion through continuous education and tools that can be applied and tailored to various patients and people in need.
Subjects
Physical Activity
Exercise Prescription
Clinicians
Counselling
Intervention
Theory of Planned Behavior
Type
thesis
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
ntu-104-R02847033-1.pdf
Size
23.32 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):b38e5d576e516b5c870f4549c4ad63fa