Reducing Sedentariness via Prescription Physical Activity: Exploring Prescriber and Recipient Barriers and Facilitators to Engagement

Background: One promising method of addressing inequalities in physical activity (PA) participation globally is prescription-based-PA whereby healthcare providers (HCPs) write movement recommendations tailored to patient’s needs to complete independently. Despite success in Nordic countries, this model is underutilized in North America. Prescription-to-Get-Active (RxTGA), a not-for-profit organization based in Alberta, Canada bridges the gap between the healthcare system and fitness industry by brokering PA prescriptions written by HCPs to patients who do not meet national movement guidelines. To date, few studies have assessed prescription PA involvement experiences from HCP and recipient perspectives: an important consideration given the model’s potential for impacting health positively.
Purpose: The purpose is to assess RxTGA involvement experiences by: 1) Examining barriers and facilitators to having conversations about and writing PA prescriptions quantitatively among RxTGA-affiliated HCPs; and 2) Exploring barriers and facilitators to obtaining, redeeming, and engaging in prescription-based PA qualitatively among RxTGA recipients.
Methods: Using a case-study design, two groups are being recruited: 84 HCPs to complete a series of validated surveys; and 20 prescription recipients to engage in a one-on-one-semi-structured interview. HCP data are being analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlations between demographic and dependent variables. Inductive and deductive approaches are being applied to analyze recipient interview data.
Results: Data collection is ongoing (June 2024 completion). It is expected that traditional engagement barriers and facilitators will be identified for both groups (e.g., time, resources, accessibility, knowledge) in addition to pandemic-specific nuances.
Conclusions: It is anticipated that this Canadian study will reveal unique experiences specific to RxTGA involvement that will be transferable to enable ongoing development in the PA-prescription arena.
Practical Implications: Better understanding of barriers and facilitators to involvement in PA prescription is needed to optimize engagement and reduce inactivity, thereby impacting individual, local, and global PA rates and health positively.
Funding: Prescription-to-Get-Active, Alberta, Canada