Costs and outcomes of an exercise referral programme - A 1-year follow-up study.

Aims: To analyse, at a one year follow up, cost offset and outcomes of changing the physical activity (PA) behaviour due to a primary care intervention.
Methodology: Participants were 528 inactive individuals with life-style related health problems, 18-84 years, and randomised into a high-dose intervention group (n=270) or a low-dose intervention group (n=258). The four month lasting intervention “Physical Activity on Prescription” (PAP) contained exercise, education and motivational counselling. At the one year follow up 178 individuals (95 in the high-dose group, 83 in the low-dose group) were assessed with the IPAQ (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) short form, perceived PA and functional ability (Six Minute Walk Test). Motivation and attitudes towards PA were assessed with a questionnaire (Gard et al), and analysed based on factor analysis.
Major findings: PA increased significantly, but without differences between high-dose and low-dose groups. The rate of inactive individuals decreased from 75% to 53%. Analysis of motivation showed no differences between the groups.
Principal conclusion: The PAP-program significantly improved physical activity behaviour at the one year follow up, and reduced costs for inactivity by 22%. Economic incentives, i.e. expenditures and individuals own valuation of leisure time, seem to influence preferences for participation in the PAP-program. Social-cognitive factors seem important when changing PA behaviour. Prescribed exercise may work pre-motivational for changed physical activity behaviour.