Promoting Physical Activity Through Policy at a Single Safety-Net Clinic: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Physical inactivity is a significant health concern for African Americans, increasing risks for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline.
• The Exercise is Medicine initiative guides efforts to integrate physical activity into healthcare.
• A single-clinic pilot study was conducted to assess the impact of a physical activity policy on provider-patient communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if implementing a physical activity policy in a primary care setting would increase discussions about physical activity between healthcare providers and African American patients.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using the Exercise is Medicine framework to promote physical activity discussions.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 109 African American patients (ages 24-81) was conducted at a single clinic.
• Data was collected at three time points: baseline, 6 weeks post-intervention, and 12 months post-intervention.
• The primary outcome measured was whether participants reported a discussion about physical activity with their primary care provider.

Main Results:

• Initially, 13% of participants reported a physical activity discussion at baseline.
• This percentage rose to 33% at 6 weeks post-intervention.
• However, at 12 months post-intervention, the reported discussion rate decreased to 23%.

Conclusions:

• Exercise is an underutilized, evidence-based strategy for preventing and managing chronic conditions.
• This pilot study demonstrated that a clinic-level policy can improve provider-patient communication regarding physical activity.
• Further research is necessary to develop and sustain policies that ensure consistent physical activity discussions during clinic visits.