TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical activity counseling in primary health care in Brazil
T2 - A national study on prevalence and associated factors
AU - Florindo, Alex Antonio
AU - Mielke, Gregore Iven
AU - Gomes, Grace Angélica De Oliveira
AU - Ramos, Luiz Roberto
AU - Bracco, Mário Maia
AU - Parra, Diana C.
AU - Simoes, Eduardo J.
AU - Lobelo, Felipe
AU - Hallal, Pedro Curi
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank all members of the GUIA team. This study was funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Prevention Research Centers Program special interest project U48/DP001903 (Applying Evidence-Physical Activity Recommendations in Brazil).
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of physical activity counseling among physicians and nurses working in primary health care in Brazil. Methods. A phone survey was carried out in 2011 with professionals working in primary health care in Brazil. The target sample consisted of 1,600 randomly selected primary care units covering all regions of the country. We successfully interviewed 529 professionals within the sampled units; 182 physicians and 347 nurses. The overall response rate was 49.6%. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate correlates of counseling in the whole sample and separately for physicians and nurses. Results: The prevalence of regular physical activity counseling for at least six months was 68.9% (95% CI 64.9; 72.8) and was significantly higher among physicians compared to nurses (p < 0.05). Most professionals (93.2%) interviewed were unfamiliar with current physical activity recommendations for health. In the adjusted analysis, physical activity counseling was more frequent among those who report assessing patient's physical activity (OR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.41; 3.29), those reporting that lack of time was not a barrier for counseling (OR = 0.62 95% CI 0.42-0.93), those who felt prepared to provide physical activity counseling (OR = 2.34; 95% CI 1.50-3.66), and those working at primary care units offering physical activity programs for patients (OR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.33-3.20). In the stratified analysis, only assessing patient's physical activity was a significant correlate among physicians whereas assessing patient's physical activity, feeling prepared to provide counseling and working in units with physical activity interventions were significant correlates among nurses. Conclusions: Physicians and nurses deemed physical activity counseling of great importance in primary health care in Brazil. However, in order to increase the quality of counseling and the number of professionals engaging in this activity, these health teams require greater knowledge about physical activity (global recommendations for health) as well as training on the application of instruments for assessing physical activity. Moreover, sufficient time must be allowed during consultations for the counseling process, and physical activity promotion programs should be implemented within the primary health care units.
AB - Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of physical activity counseling among physicians and nurses working in primary health care in Brazil. Methods. A phone survey was carried out in 2011 with professionals working in primary health care in Brazil. The target sample consisted of 1,600 randomly selected primary care units covering all regions of the country. We successfully interviewed 529 professionals within the sampled units; 182 physicians and 347 nurses. The overall response rate was 49.6%. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate correlates of counseling in the whole sample and separately for physicians and nurses. Results: The prevalence of regular physical activity counseling for at least six months was 68.9% (95% CI 64.9; 72.8) and was significantly higher among physicians compared to nurses (p < 0.05). Most professionals (93.2%) interviewed were unfamiliar with current physical activity recommendations for health. In the adjusted analysis, physical activity counseling was more frequent among those who report assessing patient's physical activity (OR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.41; 3.29), those reporting that lack of time was not a barrier for counseling (OR = 0.62 95% CI 0.42-0.93), those who felt prepared to provide physical activity counseling (OR = 2.34; 95% CI 1.50-3.66), and those working at primary care units offering physical activity programs for patients (OR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.33-3.20). In the stratified analysis, only assessing patient's physical activity was a significant correlate among physicians whereas assessing patient's physical activity, feeling prepared to provide counseling and working in units with physical activity interventions were significant correlates among nurses. Conclusions: Physicians and nurses deemed physical activity counseling of great importance in primary health care in Brazil. However, in order to increase the quality of counseling and the number of professionals engaging in this activity, these health teams require greater knowledge about physical activity (global recommendations for health) as well as training on the application of instruments for assessing physical activity. Moreover, sufficient time must be allowed during consultations for the counseling process, and physical activity promotion programs should be implemented within the primary health care units.
KW - Associated factors
KW - Knowledge
KW - Nurses
KW - Physical activity counseling
KW - Physical activity promotion
KW - Physicians
KW - Primary health care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883151852&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/1471-2458-13-794
DO - 10.1186/1471-2458-13-794
M3 - Article
C2 - 24005006
AN - SCOPUS:84883151852
VL - 13
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
SN - 1471-2458
IS - 1
M1 - 794
ER -