PHYSICIAN FACTORS AFFECTING PATIENT WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY WITH EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS

Objective: To evaluate how physician factors such as weight, exercise habits, and humanistic traits could influence patient willingness to c omply with exercise recommendations . Design: Survey questionnaire. Se tting: University-based Family Medicine Clinic. Patients: 411 consecut ive established patients of the Family Medicine Clinic. Main outcome m easures: Selected Physician characteristics that patients believed wou ld increase their willingness to comply with exercise recommendations. Results were compared with patient demographics to determine possible effects of physician characteristics on patients acceptance of exerci se recommendations. Results: Patients with higher education levels cou ld be positively influenced by a physician being of appropriate weight , a regular exerciser, and a nonsmoker, and enlisting use of other exp erts, negotiating an exercise program, providing exercise counseling, and being their primary provider. Patients with higher income levels c ould be positively related to a physician's being of appropriate weigh t, and a nonsmoker, negotiating an exercise program, and enlisting use of other experts. Female patients could be positively influenced by p hysicians being well groomed, well dressed, accessible, and good liste ners. Patients who regularly exercise could be positively influenced b y a physician's appropriate weight and exercise regimen. Conclusions: Physicians may have a positive impact on patient willingness to comply by prescribing exercise and providing education and detailed guidance for all candidates. The study also showed that physicians' negotiatin g exercise programs and being good ''exercise'' role models is very im portant.