Physical Activity Barriers and Program Preferences Among Indigent Internal Medicine Patients With Arthritis

David,&McPhee,1999).Althoughitisimportantfor thephysiciantowriteaprescriptionforexercisetype, intensity,anddurationbasedonthepresenceofarthritisandotherco-existingandlimitingchronicdiseases,

190nursescanplayacriticalroleinassistingthepatients withimplementingtheseprescriptions.Nursingprofessionalscandesignoradaptavailablepatienteducationalmaterialsrelatedtoexercise,applybasicbehavioralmodificationtechniques,anduseaself-

195managementapproachtohelpingpatientsexercise regularly(Blixen,Branstedt,Hammel,&Tilley,2004; Kinion,Christie,&Villella,1993;Tulloch,Fortier,& Hogg,inpress).Theycanprovidethemajorityofeducationandbehaviorreinforcementthroughinitialand

200follow-upcounselingsessions.Theycanaddressbarrierstophysicalactivity,discussrelapseprevention,and collaboratewiththephysiciantoprovideoptimalexercisecounselingwithminimalphysiciantimecommitment.Nursinginterventionsreducetimedemandson

205physicians,yetprovideindividualizedcarenecessary forphysicalactivitymaintenance.