Incidence of physical activity prescription in older adults by healthcare providers: a systematic literature review -- Restricted access to full text

Abstract

Routine exercise provides many benefits such as reducing risk of chronic disease, premature mortality, and functional limitations. Healthcare providers (HCPs) have an opportunistic role to promote physical activity. Some patients, especially older adults, may not engage in intentional exercise, even after counseling, but compliance may be higher if exercise is prescribed. This evidence-based review is to determine the incidence of physical activity prescription by a HCP, what types of activities were prescribed, and the possible barriers faced that would deter physical activity prescription. Articles were found through MEDLINE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. Research was limited to articles published between 1995-2010, which examined the older adult population (>50 years of age). A manual review of article bibliographies was conducted.