Implementation of a Physical Activity Vital Sign in Primary Care: Associations Between Physical Activity, Demographic Characteristics, and Chronic Disease Burden
Cindy Y. Lin, Nicole L. Gentile, Levi Bale, Melanie Rice, E. Sally Lee, Lisa S. Ray, Marcia A. Ciol
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Physical activity is important to prevent and manage multiple chronic medical conditions. The objective of this study was to describe the implementation of a physical activity vital sign (PAVS) in a primary care setting and examine the association between physical activity with demographic characteristics and chronic disease burden. METHODS: tests of independence to test for association between PAVS categories and all other variables. RESULTS: During the study period, 13,704 visits, corresponding to 8,741 unique adult patients, had PAVS recorded. Overall, 18.1% of patients reported being consistently inactive, 48.3% inconsistently active, and 33.7% consistently active. All assessed demographic and clinical covariates were associated with PAVS classification (all P < .001). Larger percentages of consistent inactivity were reported for female, older, and underweight or obese patients. Larger percentages of consistent activity were reported for male, younger, and normal weight or overweight patients. CONCLUSION: Using PAVS as a screening tool in primary care enables physicians to understand the physical activity status of their patients and can be useful in identifying inactive patients who may benefit from physical activity counseling.