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Green Prescriptions: Attitudes and Perceptions of General Practitioners Towards Prescribing Exercise

Overview
Journal Br J Gen Pract
Specialty Public Health
Date 1997 Dec 24
PMID 9406491
Citations 26
Authors
B A Swinburn
L G Walter
B Arroll
M W Tilyard
D G Russell
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Background: This qualitative study was part of a broader randomized controlled trial which showed that written exercise advice (green prescription) from a general practitioner (GP) increased physical activity levels among sedentary patients more than verbal advice alone over a 6-week period.

Aim: To assess the attitudes and perceptions of GPs towards the practice of writing green prescriptions.

Method: Participating GPs (n = 25) discussed attitudes and perceptions towards green prescriptions through structured focus groups within 2 weeks of the end of recruitment for the main study.

Results: The GPs felt comfortable discussing and prescribing exercise with and to patients. They preferred giving green prescriptions to giving verbal advice alone, and felt they were a valuable tool to formalize and document mutually agreed exercise goals. Time constraints were identified as a major barrier to the widespread implementation of green prescriptions. Appropriate training, resource materials, and patient follow-up mechanisms were identified as important elements for successful implementation of the strategy.

Conclusion: Overall, the GPs were very positive about the green prescription concept, believing it to be beneficial for patients and achievable within general practice.

Citing Articles

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Christiana R, Besenyi G, Gustat J, Horton T, Penbrooke T, Schultz C J Healthy Eat Act Living. 2023; 1(3):154-172.

PMID: 37799195 PMC: 10550037.

Promoting physical activity to patients: a scoping review of the perceptions of doctors in the United Kingdom.

Woodhead G, Sivaramakrishnan D, Baker G Syst Rev. 2023; 12(1):104.

PMID: 37355661 PMC: 10290366. DOI: 10.1186/s13643-023-02245-x.

Barriers to obesity health care from GP and client perspectives in New Zealand general practice: A meta-ethnography review.

Norman K, Chepulis L, Burrows L, Lawrenson R Obes Rev. 2022; 23(10):e13495.

PMID: 35833727 PMC: 9540793. DOI: 10.1111/obr.13495.

ABC of prescribing exercise as medicine: a narrative review of the experiences of general practitioners and patients.

ORegan A, Pollock M, DSa S, Niranjan V BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021; 7(2):e001050.

PMID: 34150320 PMC: 8174512. DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001050.

Exercise is Medicine Canada workshop training improves physical activity practices of physicians across Canada, independent of initial confidence level.

OBrien M, Shields C, Solmundson K, Fowles J Can Med Educ J. 2020; 11(5):e5-e15.

PMID: 33062086 PMC: 7522882. DOI: 10.36834/cmej.68376.

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