A Green Prescription Study: Does Written Exercise Prescribed by a Physician Result in Increased Physical Activity among Older Adults?

Objective: To determine if a written exercise prescription increases physical activity when added to verbal advice. Methods:Forty-nine community-dwelling older adults supplied their geriatricians with baseline data on their exercise levels using a questionnaire. Participants were randomly placed in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of aging and health 2001-11, Vol.13 (4), p.527-538
Main Authors: Pfeiffer, Barbara A., Clay, Steven W., Conatser, Robert R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Exercise
Female
Health technology assessment
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Compliance
Prescriptions
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Objective: To determine if a written exercise prescription increases physical activity when added to verbal advice. Methods:Forty-nine community-dwelling older adults supplied their geriatricians with baseline data on their exercise levels using a questionnaire. Participants were randomly placed in a verbal advice only group or a verbal advice plus written prescription, “green” prescription, group. Outcomes were assessed after 6 weeks. Results:Both groups showed a significant increase in time spent in physical activity. However, no significant differences between groups due to the effects of the different advice modalities were found. Conclusions:Geriatricians can effectively promote physical activity among sedentary older adults through goal-oriented physical activity advice.
ISSN:0898-2643
1552-6887
DOI:10.1177/089826430101300405