Last updated: 6-Jul-2011
Newsletter Excerpts
Brief Physician Advice Does Change Behaviour
The health care setting is potentially significant for creating more active lifestyles, given that a high proportion of Canadians visit a physician at least annually. Patient surveys confirm that primary care clinicians are expected sources of preventive health information. The Canadian Health Promotion Survey showed that 60% of people making improvements in physical activity levels did so simply because of basic information about the dangers of being sedentary. Other surveys suggest that fewer than 50% of physicians counsel patients about physical activity.
Given the experience with smoking cessation efforts, the impact of even minimal interventions by physicians and other providers should not be underestimated. A recommendation from their physician to stop smoking is an extraordinarily effective intervention, increasing the number of people who stop smoking by 25%. One study found that merely giving people a one-sentence assessment of their fat intake as a percentage of total energy was enough to create significant decreases in fat consumption! (Armitage and Conner, Social Science and Medicine, 2002, Vol. 52) As with smoking cessation, physician advice to change exercise and dietary habits is reported to be a strong predictor of intention and actual attempts to change.
(PreventCancer.ca Newsletter, Issue 1)
Rationale for Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion
There are several reasons for targeting primary health care as a setting for risk factor interventions including:
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The high rate of at least one annual visit to primary care physicians in the population, combined with the fact that someone presenting with illness may be very motivated and act on health advice.
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The fact that primary care providers are uniquely positioned to assess the risk level of a patient (e.g., through a family history and appropriate screening test) and assign an appropriate level of preventive measures tailored to precise personal circumstances.
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The pattern of regular follow-up in clinical settings that may make it possible for sustained behavioural change.
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The fact that patients still see their primary care provider as the first place to turn for risk factor reduction.
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The respected and influential role that family physicians can play even with relatively low-intensity interventions such as brief advice to patients about changing risky behaviours.
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Even a single sentence from a physician suggesting the patient stop smoking or lose weight can be very effective.
(PreventCancer.ca Newsletter, Issue 4)