A Communication Intervention for Physical Activity in Underserved Communities

This study will focus on training clinicians to communicate effectively using the 5As and patient-centered communication skills (Aim 1). When implemented fully, the intervention will also include referral to a community fitness program. Clinicians will be randomly assigned to two groups (1 and 2). Group 1 will participate in the training intervention first; group 2 will act as a wait-list control for Group 1. The primary outcome, the effectiveness of the intervention on clinician use of the 5As during routine office visits, will be measured by examining 371 audio-recorded patient visits prior to, immediately, after, and 6 months after the clinician is trained. Secondary outcomes include whether the communication training intervention improved patients' perceived competence to adopt physical activity (Aim 2)and whether clinicians believe that the communication intervention addressed pertinent barriers to promoting exercise (Aim 3). Exploratory outcomes (Aim 4) will [assess potential mediators of the intervention's effect, examine the effect of the intervention on actual physical activity levels in a subset of participants, and create a taxonomy of communication markers for each of the 5As.]