Delivering brief physical activity interventions in primary care: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Primary Care Medicine
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) brief interventions (BIs) are recommended in primary care settings.
• The actual frequency of PA BI delivery in primary care remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the extent of PA BI delivery in primary care globally.
• To explore factors influencing the delivery, patient receipt, and receptivity of PA BIs.

Main Methods:

• A worldwide mixed-methods systematic review and narrative synthesis.
• Searched major databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO) for studies from 2012-2020.
• Utilized the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool for quality assessment and theoretical frameworks for coding barriers.

Main Results:

• 66 articles were included, revealing wide variation in PA screening (2.4%-100%) and advice (0.6%-100%) delivery.
• PA advice was more common in patients with higher BMI, lower PA, or more comorbidities.
• Significant barriers include lack of time and inadequate training/guidelines, despite recommendations.

Conclusions:

• Physical activity brief interventions are infrequently and inconsistently provided in primary care.
• System-level changes and enhanced training are needed to overcome barriers and improve PA advice delivery.
• Understanding patient receptivity is key to boosting healthcare professionals' confidence in delivering PA interventions.