Implementation And Effectiveness Of Exercise Referrals In Exercise Is Medicine - On Campus Programs

The Exercise is Medicine - On Campus (EIM-OC) program is an existing physical activity initiative for universities that has a high potential for scalability and sustainability. The current implementation and effectiveness of EIM-OC referral programs to increase student physical activity or health is largely unknown. PURPOSE: To determine the implementation of the EIM-OC referral process and current assessments of effectiveness. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey, partnering with the EIM-OC international committee, of EIM-OC representatives currently at the Gold-level (implementing exercise referral activities) was conducted between April 1, 2023, and August 1, 2023, using the PRISM framework. RESULTS: Thirty-three out of 74 current Gold-level campuses submitted complete responses. Of eight campuses able to report all screening information, 5,682 individuals were screened, 356 individuals were referred (6.3% of individuals screened), and 135 successfully followed-up with an exercise professional (38% of those referred). Half of campuses reported collecting additional physical activity information (e.g. self-report surveys or accelerometers), 30% collect physical health (e.g. anthropometrics or blood) and/or mental health (e.g. depression symptoms or quality of life) measures, and 15% collect educational outcomes (e.g. GPAs). Approximately twenty percent of campuses reported a willingness to share data in a repository, depending on the measure, with others sharing concerns of confidentiality and IRB limitations. Only 36% of responding campuses track physical activity or health outcomes following the initial visit to assess effectiveness. Exercise programs included personal training only (n = 10), exercise prescription/health coaching (n = 12) or both (n = 8). CONCLUSION: While Gold-level campuses are generally successful with assessment of physical activity, strategies are needed to increase the reach of EIM-OC programs, specifically implementation strategies are needed to increase in the number of individuals screened and an increase in the number of successful follow-ups. Additional standardized measures and tracking are needed to determine the effectiveness of EIM-OC programs on improving student physical activity and health.