Physician communication and physical activity among Latinas

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Physician communication about lifestyle behaviors is associated with increased physical activity.
• Limited research exists on this topic within the U.S. Latino population.
• This study focuses on doctor-patient communication from the viewpoint of participants in a physical activity intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between physician communication regarding healthy lifestyles and weight with self-reported physical activity (PA) among U.S. Latinos.
• To understand the role of physician communication (asking, advising, assisting) in promoting PA within this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 387 Latinos at enrollment in a PA intervention program.
• Analyzed the relationship between physician communication and self-reported PA, including leisure-time (LTPA), transportation (TPA), and occupational (OPA).

Main Results:

• A significant portion of respondents reported no LTPA (46%) or TPA (60%).
• Physician assistance was positively associated with engaging in LTPA (P ≤ .05) and showed a similar trend for TPA (P ≤ .10).

Conclusions:

• Latinos reporting physician assistance for healthy lifestyles engaged in more LTPA.
• Healthcare providers can enhance PA levels by actively assisting patients in accessing supportive resources.