Factors associated with increased physical activity among patients prescribed physical activity in Swedish routine health care including an offer of counselor support: a 1-year follow-up

Pia Andersen; Sara Holmberg; Kristofer Årestedt; Lena Lendahls; Per Nilsen

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-12940-4

Factors associated with increased physical activity among patients prescribed physical activity in Swedish routine health care including an offer of counselor support: a 1-year follow-up

BMC Public Health. 2022 Mar 15;22(1):509. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12940-4.

Authors

Pia Andersen^{1

2}, Sara Holmberg^{3

4

5}, Kristofer Årestedt^{6

7}, Lena Lendahls^{3

6}, Per Nilsen⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, SE-351 88, Växjö, Sweden. pia.andersen@kronoberg.se.
² Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Society and Health, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden. pia.andersen@kronoberg.se.
³ Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, SE-351 88, Växjö, Sweden.
⁴ Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden.
⁵ Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Medicine and Optometry, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82, Kalmar, Sweden.
⁶ Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82, Kalmar, Sweden.
⁷ The Research Section, Region Kalmar County, SE-391 26, Kalmar, Sweden.
⁸ Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Society and Health, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden.

Abstract

Background: The study addresses knowledge gaps in research regarding influences of routine health care delivery of physical activity on prescription (PAP). The aim was to investigate if patient and health care characteristics are associated with increased physical activity 1 year after prescription among patients offered counselor support in addition to health care professionals' prescription. The study was conducted in primary and secondary care in a Swedish health care region.

Methods: All PAP recipients during 1 year were invited (N = 1503) to participate in this observational prospective study. Data were collected from medical records and questionnaires (baseline and follow-up). Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis were used. The outcome variable was increased physical activity after 1 year. Study variables were patient and health care characteristics.

Results: Three hundred and fifty-five patients with complete follow-up data were included. The mean age was 62 years (SD = 14; range, 18-90) and 68% were females. Almost half (47%) had increased physical activity 1 year after PAP. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that increased physical activity at follow-up was positively associated with lower baseline activity, counselor use, and positive perception of support. Counselor users with low baseline activity had higher odds ratio for increased physical activity at follow-up than non-users (OR = 7.2, 95% CI = 2.2-23.5 vs. OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.4-7.5). Positive perception of support was associated with increased physical activity among counselor users but not among non-users.

Conclusions: An increase in physical activity after PAP was related to low baseline activity, positive perception of support, and use of counselor support after PAP. Qualified counseling support linked to PAP seems to be important for achieving increased physical activity among patients with lower baseline activity.

Keywords: Counseling; Health care characteristics; Patient characteristics; Physical activity on prescription; Predictors.

Publication types

Observational Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Counselors*
Delivery of Health Care
Exercise
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Sweden