Physical activity on prescription in Belgian general practice: current state of affairs

Sherihane Bensemmane

Keywords: Primary care, physical activity, lifestyle, prescription

Background:

Low physical activity is an important risk factor for various illnesses and accounts for more than 5% of the burden of a chronic disease. International guidelines suggest that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity a week.
In Belgium, physical inactivity is important and increases with age. Less than 35% of the population over 45 achieve the weekly goal. Furthermore, there is no policy on physical activity on prescription (PAP) at national level. However, local policies and initiatives exist.

Research questions:

To understand how PAP is organized and used in Belgian primary care.

Method:

The study is divided into three consecutive steps. In phase 1, desk research and stakeholder interviews were carried out to map initiatives and policies existing in Belgium.
In the second phase, a questionnaire will be applied to general practitioners (GPs), part of the Belgian network of Sentinel General Practitioners (SGP), to investigate the willingness to use PAP, type of patients targeted, and prior experience.
During the third phase 3, patient data will be collected retrospectively during one year by the SGP network data. Complementary data on PAP will be collected via regional/local programmes in the three Belgian regions.

Results:

Whilst approaches in the three Belgian regions are complementary, physical activity programs for patients differ. In Flanders, PAP is provided through coaching (motivational) sessions, whereas in Brussels and Wallonia, implemented initiatives focus on collective adapted physical activity sessions, sometimes including coaching. Wallonia plans to implement measures to promote physical activity. GPs represent the main prescriber of physical activity. Phases 2 and 3 have not started.

Conclusions:

This study informs on the current provision of PAP in Belgium. Moreover, it will allow us to investigate attitudes toward PAP in the Belgian general practices, quantify current use of PAP and provide an overview of PAP at national level.

Points for discussion:

Belgian regions do not have the same approach regarding PAP

There is a lack of harmonization at national level

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