Exercise Counseling by Primary Care Physicians in Jordan-A Preliminary Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Primary Care Medicine
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Physical activity is crucial for patient health, yet physician counseling practices remain understudied.
• Understanding Jordanian primary care physicians' (PCPs) perceptions and practices regarding exercise counseling is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the perceptions and practices of Jordanian PCPs concerning patient exercise counseling.
• To identify factors influencing exercise counseling by PCPs in Jordan.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study surveyed 218 physicians from family medicine, internal medicine, and general practice in Jordan.
• Statistical analyses included Chi-square tests and logistic regression to examine associations between physician characteristics and counseling practices.
• Data collected on physician demographics, perceptions of patient exercise adherence, and counseling frequency.

Main Results:

• Most physicians believed few patients would initiate or adhere to exercise regimens.
• Family medicine physicians reported counseling more patients, more frequently, with a higher desire to counsel further (P=.002).
• Positive perceptions of exercise counseling exist, but the desire to counsel more was low.

Conclusions:

• Jordanian PCPs hold positive views on exercise counseling but face barriers including low patient motivation, time constraints, and limited resources.
• Further research is recommended to develop strategies for overcoming these barriers and enhancing exercise counseling.