Survey of emergency medicine doctors in London physical activity characteristics, awareness of guidelines and prescribing behaviours

OBJECTIVE: To determine London emergency medicine (EM) doctors’ physical activity (PA) characteristics, awareness of PA guidelines and PA prescription practice from London emergency departments (EDs). METHODS: An anonymous online survey of EM doctors working in London over 6 weeks between 27 April 2021 and 12 June 2021. Inclusion criteria included EM doctors of any grade currently working in London EDs. Exclusion criteria were non-EM doctors, other healthcare professionals and those working outside London EDs. The Emergency Medicine Physical Activity Questionnaire created consisted of two parts: part 1, on basic demographic data and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and part 2, focused questions around awareness of guidelines and prescribing characteristics. RESULTS: 122 participants attempted the survey, of which 75 (61.5%) met the inclusion criteria. 61.3% (n=46) were aware of and 77.3% (n=58) achieved minimum recommended aerobic PA guidelines. However, only 33.3% (n=25) were aware of and 48% (n=36) achieved muscle strengthening (MS) guidelines. The mean sedentary behaviour time/day was 5 hours. 75.3% (n=55) of EM doctors thought it was important to prescribe PA, yet only 41.8% (n=23) prescribed PA. CONCLUSIONS: Most London EM doctors are aware of and achieve minimum aerobic PA guidelines. Encouraging MS awareness and activities, as well as PA prescribing, should be areas of focus. Larger studies should take place to assess EM doctors’ characteristics in UK regions and data using accelerometers to determine PA more precisely. Further research should also look at patient perceptions of PA.