Exercise Prescription for Non-Communicable Diseases: Knowledge and Practice Among Healthcare Providers

Abstract

Introduction: Exercise prescription (EP) use as medicine is an effective approach. It is the cornerstone to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, confidence and practice of healthcare providers towards NCDs pertaining to EP in West Gojjam Zone hospitals, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional research design was carried out in hospital setting. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaires from 7 governmental hospitals of 353 HCPs (Medical doctors=107, 30.3%, Nurses=157, 44.5% and Midwiferies=89, 25.2%). The data was collected and analyzed from March to June, 2021. Results: The HCPs reported that; majority of 80.6% respondents had poor written exercise prescription practice for their patients. 62.5% of HCPs were agreed on had not sufficient knowledge on exercise prescription guideline for NCDs. Male HCPs were had better exercise prescription practice ( x^2 = 228.756, df = 15, p =0.000). HCPs knowledge and confidence was had a significance difference by profession (Medical doctors: Mean rank =198.71, Nurses: Mean rank =171.96 and Midwifery: Mean rank =159.78, x^2 = 7.773, df = 2, p =0.021). Exercise prescription practice (EPP) was significantly and positively correlated with Knowledge and Confidence (rho=0.292, p= 0.000). Conclusion: Exercise prescription’s practice, knowledge and confidence of majority of HCPs were poor. Need to be prepared exercise prescription guideline used as a bench mark for healthcare providers and establish training program for HCPs how to prescribe physical exercise to prevent and manage NCD to their patients.