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Supplemental Appendix. 5As Direct Observation Code for Physical Activity
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- Supplemental data: Appendix - PDF file, 9 pages, 303 KB
The Article in Brief
Evaluation of Physical Activity Counseling in Primary Care Using Direct Observation of the 5As
Jennifer K. Carroll , and colleagues
Background The 5As (ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange) are recommended as a strategy for brief physical activity counseling in primary care. There is no reference standard measurement, however, and patient participation is not well understood. This study reports on a new method to measure the 5As and describes the degree to which patients and physicians accomplish the 5As in discussions of physical activity.
What This Study Found During 361 audio-recorded office visits, the overall frequency of any 5As talk about physical activity was 38 percent. Physicians infrequently assess patients� readiness to change, though it is commonly revealed by patients in response to the physicians� assessment of their current level of activity. Patients often express ambivalence about changing their behavior, and physicians make limited or no attempts to offer assistance.
Implications
- The authors suggest that, in discussions of physical activity, clinicians improve their skills in exploring patient ambivalence and readiness to change and increase explicit mention of recommended guidelines.