Physical Activity on Referral in Brussels

Abstract

Since 2017, Huis voor Gezondheid has been coordinating the Physical Activity On Referral project in Brussels with the approval of the Flemish Government. The aim of this project is that doctors motivate their patients to adopt a more active lifestyle and that people from Brussels move more. If the patient is sufficiently motivated, the doctor can refer this patient to the Physical activity on referral-coach via a referral letter. The coach motivates and supports the patient on their way to a more active lifestyle. He does this through motivational interviewing and by sounding out which low-threshold exercise initiatives the patient wants to integrate into his daily life.
 In principle, every inhabitant of the Brussels-Capital Region can be referred to the coach. The project is mainly intended for people with an inactive lifestyle and for people with certain health risks or health problems for which exercise has already been shown to have a positive influence. Children cannot be referred, interested persons must be at least 18 years old.
 The project pays attention to the vulnerable population by mapping the local low-threshold exercise offer and by providing lower rates for people with an increased allowance for the coach. In Brussels especially this group is important to include and to pay extra attention to.
 In short, this project focuses on prevention, on keeping people healthy for as long as possible through integrated care.
 Scope of the project: The project currently is active in 4 municipalities in Brussels: Anderlecht, Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, Schaarbeek and Brussels-city.
 Partners: Physical Activity On Referral starts from a local intersectoral network in which local and regional partners from different sectors are represented such as local authorities, doctors, health and welfare services, providers of low-threshold exercise options, organizations that reach vulnerable groups,…. Each municipality consists of an intersectoral network. These regional partners are crucial for the succes of the project. Without all these partners, we would not be able te reach as many citizens as we do now.
 The interventions: Every year, Huis voor Gezondheid organizes several intersectoral local antennas within each municipality to discuss the progress of the project. In addition, Huis voor Gezondheid is also organizing a major event to bring all partners together of the project.
 Results: Since 2017 to the end of 2021 we have reached a total of 464 patients
 
 2017: 14 patients
 2018: 115 patients
 2019: 154 patients
 2020: 85 patients
 2021: 96 patiënts
 
 Learnings and next steps: The evaluations of patients and doctors show that patients move more after following a trajectory with the coach. In 2023 we will implement the project within the municipality of Jette.