Knowledge And Practices Of Primary Health-care Providers To Counsel About Physical Activity And Fall Prevention

Abstract

The benefits of regular physical activity on health, fall prevention, and quality of life are widely recognized. However, only a small percentage of older adults meet the current recommendations for aerobic exercise and strength. Primary care providers are in a unique position to counsel patients about exercise and provide them with exercise locations and prescription. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of health care providers regarding knowledge and confidence to assess and counsel older adult patients about physical activity and fall prevention. METHODS: One hundred and twenty health care providers in Pierce County, Washington received a link to an online survey. The survey consisted of 35 questions including demographic and general practice questions, and questions that assessed knowledge and counseling practices of primary care providers about physical activity and fall prevention. Chi-square was used to determine if categorical variables differ from one another. Significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty-four (28.3% response rate) individuals responded to the questionnaire. Most of the respondents were physicians (56%). Fifty-six percent of the respondents (χ2 = 0.25, p = 0.17) indicated that they routinely counsel their patients to participate in exercise programs that promote fall prevention. Only 12.5% (χ2 = 8.38, p < 0.05) of the primary care providers responded that they refer their clients to an exercise specialist. The majority (93.8%) of the health care providers were not aware of the Exercise is Medicine® website (χ2 = 12.25, p < 0.01). Eighty-seven percent (χ2 = 9.0, p < 0.01) of the respondents described their knowledge of fall prevention assessment and management as “not very knowledgeable” to “somewhat knowledgeable.” Most of the health care providers (68.8%, χ2 = 2.25, p = 0.13) indicated that they routinely administer fall risk screening. CONCLUSION: These results show that while half of these primary care providers counsel their patients to participate in exercise programs, only a small percentage of them refer their clients to an exercise specialist. Furthermore, the lack of knowledge of the Exercise is Medicine® initiative and website by health care providers indicates the importance of further education of health care providers.