The Physical Activity Counseling randomized controlled trial integrated a physical activity (PA) counselor into a primary care practice to provide intensive counseling to sedentary patients following brief counseling from their regular health care provider. This article presents the voices of 15 patients, who through a series of 3 interviews, described their experience with this 3-month combined provider PA counseling intervention. Patient satisfaction was a dominant emergent theme, and the patients were particularly positive about the quality of care and educational support for lifestyle change. They favored the tailored approach and felt the strategies for overcoming PA barriers were helpful.
Anderson, R.T., King, A., Stewart, A.L., Camacho, F., & Rejeski, W.J. ( 2005). Physical activity counseling in primary care and patient well-being: Do patients benefit? Annals of Behavioral Medicine , 30, 146.
2.
Bandura A. ( 1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
3.
Barbour, R.S. ( 2001). Checklists for improving rigour in qualitative research: A case of the tail wagging the dog? British Medical Journal , 322, 1115-1117.
4.
Blanchard, C.M., Fortier, M., Sweet, S., O’Sullivan, T., Hogg, W., Reid, R., & Sigal, R. ( 2007). Do barrier and task self-efficacy mediate the effect of a physical activity counseling intervention in a primary care setting?Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 34, 323-328.
5.
Cameron, C., Wolfe, R., & Craig, C. ( 2007). Physical activity and sport: Encouraging children to be active. Ottawa: Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. http://www.cflri.ca/eng/statistics/surveys/documents/PAM2005.pdf (accessed 14 June 2009).
6.
Campbell, J., Maxey, V., & Watson, W. ( 1995). Hawthorne effect: Implications for prehospital research . Annals of Emergency Medicine, 26, 590-594.
7.
Centre for Disease Control. (2008). Prevalence of self-reported physically-active adults: United States, 2007 . Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57, 1297-1300. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5748.pdf (accessed 14 June 2009).
8.
Deci, E., & Ryan, R. ( 2002). Handbook of self-determination research. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.
9.
Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. ( 1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum.
10.
DiLoreto, C., Parlanti, N., Fanell, C., Santeusanio, F., Lucidi, P., & Brunetti, E.A. (2003). Validation of a counseling strategy to promote the adoption and the maintenance of physical activity L by type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes Care, 26, 404-408.
11.
Dzewaltowski, D.A., Estabrooks, P.A., Klesges, L.M., Bull, S., & Glasgow, R.E. ( 2004). Behavior change intervention research in community settings: How generalizable are the results? Health Promotion International , 19, 235-245.
12.
Eakin, E.G., Smith, B.J., & Bauman, A.E. ( 2005). Evaluating the population health impact of physical activity interventions in primary care-are we asking the right questions? Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2, 197-215.
13.
Elley, R., Kerse, N., Arroll, B., Swinburn, B., Ashton, T., & Robinson, E. ( 2004). Cost-effectiveness of physical activity counselling in general practice. New Zealand Medical Journal, 117, U1216.
14.
Fortier, M.S., Hogg, W., O’Sullivan, T.L., Blanchard, C., Sigal, R., Reid, R., Boulay, P., Doucet, E., & Bisson, E. (under review). Impact of Integrating a Physical Activity Counsellor into the Primary Health Care Team: Main Outcomes of the Physical Activity Counselling (PAC) Randomized Controlled Trial.
15.
Fortier, M., & Kowal, J. ( 2007). The flow state and physical activity behaviour change as motivational outcomes: A self-determination theory perspective. In M. Hagger & N. Chatzisarantis (Eds.), Self-determination theory in exercise and sport (pp. 113-126). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
16.
Fortier, M., Tulloch, H., & Hogg, W. ( 2006). A good fit: Integrating physical activity counselors in family practice. Canadian Family Physician, 52, 942-944.
17.
Fortier, M.S., Hogg, W.E., O’Sullivan, T.L., Blanchard, C., Reid, R.D., Sigal, R.J., et al. (2007). The physical activity counseling (PAC) randomized controlled trial: Rationale, methods, and interventions. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 32, 1170-1185.
18.
Fortier, M.S., Sweet, S., O’Sullivan, T.L., & Williams, G.C. (2007). A self-determination process model of physical activity adoption in the context of a randomized controlled trial. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 8, 741-757.
19.
Fortier, M.S., Williams, G.C., Sweet, S.N., & Patrick, H. ( 2009). Self-Determination theory process models for health behaviour change: Applications to tobacco dependence treatment and physical activity counseling. In R. J. Diclemente, R. A. Crosby, & M. C. Kegler (Eds.), Emerging theories in health promotion practice and research: Strategies for improving public health, 2nd edn, 157-184. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
20.
Glasgow, R.E., Eakin, E.G., Fisher, E.B., Bacak, S.J., & Brownson, R.C. (2001). Physician advice and support for physical activity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine , 21, 189-196.
21.
Heaney, C.A., & Israel, B.A. ( 2002). Social networks and social support. In K. Glanz, L. Rimer , & R. Lewis (Eds.), Health behaviour and health education: Theory, research, and practice, 3rd edn (pp. 185-209). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
22.
Leskela, J., Viitanen, E., & Piirainen, A. ( 2005). Client feedback on physiotherapy counselling in primary health care. Patient Education and Counseling, 56, 218-224.
23.
Lewis, R., & Dixon, J. (2005). The future of primary care: Meeting the challenges of the new NHS market. London: Kings Fund.
24.
Markland, D., Ryan, R.M., Jayne Tobin, V., & Rollnick, S. ( 2005). Motivational interviewing and self-determination theory . Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 811-831.
25.
Pinto, B.M., Goldstein, M.G., Ashba, J., Sciamanna, C.N., & Jette, A. ( 2005). Randomized controlled trial of physical activity counseling for older primary care patients. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29, 247-255.
26.
Speight, J. ( 2005). Assessing patient satisfaction: Concepts, applications, and measurement. Value in Health, 8, S6-8.
27.
Tarrant, C., Windridge, K., Boulton, M., Baker, R., & Freeman, G. ( 2003). Qualitative study of the meaning of personal care in general practice. British Medical Journal, 326, 1310.
28.
Williams, G. ( 2002). Improving patients’ health through supporting the autonomy of patients and providers. In E. L. & R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of Self-Determination Research (pp. 233-254). Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.
29.
Williams, G.C., Gagné, M., Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. ( 2002). Facilitating autonomous motivation for smoking cessation . Health Psychology, 21, 40-50.
30.
World Health Organization. (2008). The world health report 2008: Primary health care: Now More than ever. Geneva: World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/whr/2008/whr08_en.pdf (accessed 14 June 2009).
31.
World Health Organization. (2002). The world health report 2002: Reducing risks, promoting healthy lives. Geneva: World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/whr02_en.pdf (accessed 12 June 2009).
