How do general practitioners in Denmark promote physical activity?

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flowchart of the postal survey Notes: GP = general practitioners, qu. = questionnaire. All percentages refer to the percentage of the full sample (396 practitioners).

Table I. Demographic and counselling characteristics of questionnaire respondents.

	General practitioners n = 223
Female	113 50.7%
Age (SD)	53.4 (8.0)
Years working in general practice (SD)	15.1 (8.9)
Number of patients attached to the GP (SD)	1552.9 (333)
Frequency of exercise/week (SD)	2.6 (1.9)
Have you participated in a course on exercise promotion? (missing n = 0):^1
Yes	90 (40.4%)
No	125 (56.1%)
I do not know	8 (3.6%)
Do you consider exercise promotion a part of your job? (missing n = 6):^1
Yes	174 (80.1%)
No	13 (6.0%)
I do not know	30 (13.8%)
Is there written material on exercise advice in the waiting room? (missing n = 3):^1
Yes	168 (76.4%)
No	41 (18.6%)
I do not know	12 (5.5%)
How often do you advise your patients on exercise behaviour? (missing n = 0):^1
≥ weekly	213 (95.5%)
< weekly	10 (4.5%)
How often do you promote exercise behaviour to sedentary patients, without complications such as obesity or high blood pressure? (missing n = 0):^1
≥ weekly	116 (52.0%)
< weekly	107 (48.0%)
State of change – respondents’ own motivational readiness for exercise (missing n = 2):^1
Exercises regularly, > 6 months	153 (69.2%)
Exercises regularly, < 6 months	6 (2.7%)
Have previously exercised regularly, but not currently	15 (6.8%)
Do exercise once in a while, but not regularly	27 (12.2%)
Do not exercise, but contemplate starting	10 (4.5%)
Do not exercise, and do not consider starting	10 (4.5%)

Note: ¹

Indicates missing values.

Figure 2. “When you advise your patients on physical activity, how often does it include specific advice on type, duration, frequency, and intensity of exercise?” Answers provided by 223 general practitioners in Denmark. Note: The data are self-reported and presented as median and interquartile range.

Table II. “When you advise your patients on physical activity, how often does your counselling include verbal information, written material, a follow-up interview, and how many minutes do you spend?”: Answers from Danish general practitioners.

	General practitioners n = 223
Type of exercise counselling:
Verbal	100% (90–100)
Written material	40% (30–80)
Follow-up interview	60% (30–80)
Exercise prescription	30% (20–50)
Counselling time, minutes	11.0 (7.5–15.0)

Note: The data are self-reported and presented as median and interquartile range.

Table III. Multivariance backwards stepwise logistic regression analysis of factors associated with content of exercise promotion given by general practitioners.

Type of exercise, Frequency, Duration, Intensity	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI
Consultation, minutes	1.08	1.02–1.13	1.09	1.03–1.16	1.06	1.00–1.11	1.06	1.01–1.11
Female gender	2.04	1.15–3.64	1.17	0.91–3.09	–	–	–	–
Course on PA promotion^1	–	–	1.94	1.05–3.60	1.81	1.02–3.21	–	–
State of change^2	–	–	–	–	–	–	1.98	1.06–3.71

Notes: OR: odds ratio; 95% confidence interval. Only variables with p-value ≤ 0.10 in the regression model are included (e.g. variation in “Type of exercise” is explained by “consultation, minutes” and “gender”). The full model included age, years in practice, number of days/week the GP engaged in moderate to high-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes. ¹The GP reported having attended a course on physical activity promotion. ²GPs’ current motivational level for change in own exercise habits (1: active vs. 0: non-active).