Article Figures & Data
Tables
- Table 1. Demographics, health behaviours and knowledge for responders, by professional group
Demographic All (n = 302) GP (n = 166) GP registrar(n = 65) Nurse (n = 71) Age, years Mean (SD) 44.8 (10.6) 48.5 (9.0) 32.0 (4.7) 48.1 (8.8) Sex, % Male 38 54 35 1.4 Female 62 46 65 99 Ethnic origin,% White 63 60 37 96 Mixed/multiple ethnic groups 0.3 0.6 –
– Asian/Asian British 30 36 45 1.4 Black/African/Caribbean/black British 3.7 1.9 9.2 2.8 Other ethnic group 3.0 1.9 9.2 –
Which of the following best describes your own smoking habits? % I currently smoke 40 or more cigarettes per day –
–
–
–
I currently smoke between 20 and 40 cigarettes per day –
–
–
–
I currently smoke under 20 cigarettes per day 1.3 –
1.5 4.2 I used to smoke regularly, but have now given up 11 10 5 21 I have never smoked, or never smoked regularly 87 90 94 73 Concerning your own weight, do you consider yourself to be? % Very underweight 0.3 –
1.6 –
Slightly underweight 2.7 4.3 1.6 –
About right 49 51 58 37 Slightly overweight 42 40 34 54 Very overweight 6.4 5.5 4.7 9.9 In the past week, on how many days have you done a total of 30 minutes or more of physical activity, which was enough to raise your breathing rate? % Mean (SD) 2.41 (1.86) 2.36 (1.85) 2.17 (1.72) 2.75 (2.00) How many minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity should an adult undertake to meet the current UK physical activity guidelines? (Correct answer is 150 mins moderate activity/week) Mean (SD) [range] 122 (81) 128 (96)
[0–600]125 (53)
[0–350]104 (58)
[4–250]How many days a week should an adult undertake physical activity to improve their muscle strength to meet the current UK physical activity guidelines? (Correct answer is 2 days each week) Mean (SD) [range] 4.13 (1.31) 4.1 (1.4) [0–7] 4.1 (1.1) [2–7] 4.3 (1.3) [2–7] Participants were asked to declare their occupation, a total of 166 GPs (partner/salaried or locum), 65 GP registrars and 71 nurses responded. In addition, responses were obtained from three medical students, and one retired GP. Eight responders specified another occupation (including several foundation-level doctors, and a prescribing advisor), and two responders did not give a response for their occupation. Subsequent analysis was performed for the GP, GP registrar, and nurse groups, with the remainder of the responders (n = 14) excluded from analysis, giving a sub-group analysis total of 302 responders.
- Table 2. Perceived barriers in limiting professionals from discussing physical activity with their patients
All (n = 285), % GP (n = 156), % GP registrar (n = 63), % Nurse (n = 66), % Lack of time 91.2 91.0 92.1 90.9 Lack of resources 36.8 41.7 38.1 24.2 Patients’ current condition 27.4 26.9 22.2 33.3 Patients are unlikely to follow the advice 24.6 30.1 28.6 7.6 Lack of knowledge 18.9 12.8 39.7 13.6 Lack of incentives 11.2 16.0 7.9 3.0 Not my professional role 2.1 3.8 0 0 All GP GP registrar Nurse (n = 293),% (n = 159),% (n = 64),% (n = 70),% How often do you … ‘Ask patients about their smoking habits?’ Often 92 96 81 93 Sometimes 7.8 4.4 17 7.1 Rarely 0.3 0.0 1.6 0.0 Never 0 0 0 0 How often do you … ‘Ask patients about their level of alcohol consumption?’ Often 77 77 73 81 Sometimes 22 23 25 17 Rarely 0.7 0.0 1.6 1.4 Never 0 0 0 0 How often do you … ‘Check a patient's weight?’ Often 57 60 25 91 Sometimes 35 36 59 8.7 Rarely 5.8 4.4 16 0.0 Never 0 0 0 0 How often do you … ‘Check a patient's blood pressure?’ Often 94 93 92 97 Sometimes 5.8 6.3 7.9 2.9 Rarely 0.3 0.6 0.0 0.0 Never 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 How often do you … ‘Ask patients about the levels of regular physical activity they are undertaking?’ Often 36 34 13 61 Sometimes 54 56 73 33 Rarely 10 10 14 5.7 Never 0 0 0 0 How often do you … ‘Screen patients using a specific physical activity tool to quantify their activity levels?’ Often 11 6.3 1.6 31 Sometimes 29 30 13 41 Rarely 30 35 33 16 Never 30 28 53 11 How often do you … ‘Signpost inactive patients to local physical activity opportunities?’ Often 21 18 6.3 40 Sometimes 54 63 48 39 Rarely 20 16 36 13 Never 5 2.5 9.4 8.6 How often do you … ‘Provide counselling to motivate inactive patients?’ Often 23 24 6.3 34 Sometimes 41 47 33 33 Rarely 25 19 44 20 Never 12 9.0 17 13 How often do you … ‘Refer inactive patients to exercise programmes?’ Often 16 14 6 27 Sometimes 54 60 53 41 Rarely 25 23 31 24 Never 5.5 3.1 9.4 7.1 Questionnaire Often, % Sometimes, % Never, % I do not know what this is, % General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ) 21 36 14 29 International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) 1.4 1.4 18 79 LEAPa 1.4 4.7 19 75 PGActiveQa 0.5 2.3 20 78 Single item question 3.2 3.2 17 76 Vital sign 10 6.0 19 65 ↵ aFictitious questionnaire, used to identify positive responses.
- Table 5. Displaying the proportion agreeing/disagreeing with statements about physical activity and health outcomes
Statement Strongly agree, % Agree, % Neither agree nor disagree, % Disagree, % Strongly disagree, % Physical activity can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease 65 33 2 0 0 Physical activity can be an effective treatment for depression 62 37 1 0 0 Physical activity can help treat type 2 diabetes 61 37 1 0 0 Adults should minimise the amount of time being sedentary for extended periods of time 57 39 2 2 0 Physical activity can improve mobility and balance 55 43 1 1 0 Physical activity can both prevent and treat lower back pain 38 57 3 0 1 Adults who are physically active have a lower risk of developing certain types of cancer than inactive adults 37 50 11 0 2 Physical activity can significantly reduce hospital admissions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 28 58 11 1 3 Physical activity can prevent the development of osteoarthritis 25 51 16 1 8 Physical activity can reduce the risk of the development of glaucomaa 4 9 60 6 22 The only health benefit physical activity has is in in assisting weight lossa 4 2 3 55 37 Physical activity can treat haemophiliaa 2 2 46 16 33 ↵ aThought to be a false answer question, used to identify positive responses
- Table 6. Self-rated confidence and knowledge in advising patients about physical activity by professional group
How would you rate your confidence in giving general advice to patients about physical activity All (n = 302), % GP(n = 166), % GP registrar(n = 65), % Nurse(n = 71), % Extremely confident 9.7 14 1.6 7.2 Very confident 50 48 33 70 Not very confident 40 37 65 22 Not at all confident 0.7 0.6 0 1.4 Do you feel that you have sufficient knowledge to advise patients about physical activity All (n = 302) GP (n = 166) GP registrar(n = 65) Nurse (n = 71) Yes, lots 10 15 0 10 Yes, some 62 62 59 65 No, not really 27 22 41 23 No, not at all 1.0 1.3 0 1.4
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Primary care knowledge and beliefs about physical activity and health: a survey of primary healthcare team members
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