Improving population health through integration of primary care and public health: providing access to physical activity for community health center patients
UMass Chan Affiliations
Department of Family Medicine and Community HealthDocument Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2012-11-01Keywords
AdultAge Factors
*Community Health Centers
*Exercise
Fees and Charges
Female
Health Promotion
Humans
Male
Motor Activity
*Primary Health Care
*Public Health
Sex Factors
Community Health and Preventive Medicine
Primary Care
Public Health
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OBJECTIVES: Our community health center attempted to meet public health goals for encouraging exercise in adult patients vulnerable to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases by partnering with a local YMCA. METHODS: During routine office visits, providers referred individual patients to the YMCA at no cost to the patient. After 2 years, the YMCA instituted a $10 per month patient copay for new and previously engaged health center patients. RESULTS: The copay policy change led to discontinuation of participation at the YMCA by 80% of patients. Patients who persisted at the YMCA increased their visits by 50%; however, more men than women became frequent users after institution of the copay. New users after the copay were also more likely to be younger men. Thus the copay skewed the population toward a younger group of men who exercised more frequently. Instituting a fee appeared to discourage more tentative users, specifically women and older patients who may be less physically active. CONCLUSIONS: Free access to exercise facilities (rather than self-paid memberships) may be a more appropriate approach for clinicians to begin engaging inexperienced or uncertain patients in regular fitness activities to improve health.Source
Matthew Silva, Suzanne Cashman, Parag Kunte, and Lucy M. Candib. Improving Population Health Through Integration of Primary Care and Public Health: Providing Access to Physical Activity for Community Health Center Patients. American Journal of Public Health: November 2012, Vol. 102, No. 11, pp. e56-e61. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300958. Link to article on publisher's site
DOI
10.2105/AJPH.2012.300958Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/51006PubMed ID
22994250Related Resources
ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2105/AJPH.2012.300958
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