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Exercise counselling by family physicians in Canada
Maureen F Kennedy1, W H Meeuwisse
1Calgary, ABT3A 2N1 Canada. mfk@fitnessmd.com
Preventive Medicine
|August 14, 2003
Summary
Canadian family physicians report suboptimal exercise counselling practices and low confidence. Key barriers include time constraints and insufficient medical school education, highlighting a need for improved physician training in exercise guidance.
Area of Science:
- Family Medicine
- Preventive Healthcare
- Health Behavior Change
Background:
- Exercise counselling is underutilized by family physicians globally.
- Limited data exists on Canadian family physicians' exercise counselling practices.
- This study aimed to evaluate physician confidence, current/desired practices, and barriers to exercise counselling.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess family physician confidence in exercise counselling.
- Compare current versus ideal exercise counselling practices.
- Identify barriers hindering effective exercise counselling by family physicians in Canada.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey design.
- Random sample of 330 family physicians across six Canadian provinces.
- Response rate of 61.1% achieved.
Main Results:
- 58.2% believed 0-25% of patients would respond to counselling.
- Only 11.8% counselled most patients, though 43.3% desired to.
- Major barriers: lack of time (65.7%) and inadequate medical school education (64.8%).
Conclusions:
- Family physicians perceive their exercise counselling as suboptimal.
- Physician confidence in providing exercise advice is not high.
- Enhanced educational opportunities could improve exercise counselling delivery.