One-day Workshop Training Improves Physical Activity Prescription Knowledge in Latin American Physicians

Abstract

Increases in non-communicable diseases morbidity and mortality have made it imperative for physicians (MD´s) to effectively prescribe physical activity (PA) as part of treatment plan. A one-day certification workshop was designed to improve MD´s PA knowledge and skills, as part of the Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) global health initiative (EIM-GHI). PURPOSE: To determine MD´s knowledge gain after a standardized one-day PA prescription workshop performed throughout Latin America (LA). METHODS: Pre/post-test analysis without a control group performed on 1497 MDs after an 8-hour PA prescription workshop delivered 68 times across 10 LA countries. It included a 6-hour theoretical and 2-hour hands-on sessions. A multiple-choice test based on the ACSM’s Guidelines was completed before and after. MD’s who scored ≥80% were certified. Knowledge improvement was determined using the class-average normalized gain (mean actual gain / maximum possible gain). T-tests with a 95% confidence level were conducted to compare and analyze differences between MD specialties. RESULTS: Of the 1497 MD’s, 61% were certified. Mean test scores improved from 63% to 79% after the workshop (p <0.001). The overall relative gain was 31% [CI: 29% to 34%]. The mean of the 68 workshops’ class-average normalized gain was 45% [CI: 41 to 47%], significantly above the 30% (p <0.001) minimum gain international standard for a curriculum to be considered effective. Results were consistent across countries. Specialties with the largest number of workshop participants were general practitioners (GP’s) (31%), internal medicine (16%), family medicine (8%), sports medicine (7%) and pediatrics (6%). Family medicine MD’s knowledge relative gain was significantly higher than that of general practitioners’ (37% vs 34%, p =0.03). Both Family and GP’s had significantly higher relative gain than internal medicine and pediatrics (27% and 28%; respectively, p <0.001). Sports medicine MD’s knowledge gain (17%) was significantly lower than the rest (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This one-day workshop had a positive impact on the knowledge gain of MD’s. Specialties that benefited most were GP’s and family medicine, MD´s that are critical for NCD control. Short training and certification strategies in PA prescription are pivotal for implementing the EIM-GHI.