Moving on Referral

Since 2016, people with exercise poverty can be referred by their GP to an exercise coach through the Flemish 'Bewegen op Verwijzing' (BOV) project. Like prescription drugs, the coach's guidance is also partially reimbursed through the mutual health insurance scheme.

Research Theme: Gezond bewegen

Field of interest: Education; Health and Care; People and Society

Duration: 23/12/2019 - 23/12/2020

Within Moving on Referral, the preventive health philosophy 'Exercise is the best medicine' is taken very literally. Partly because of the low cost, the intensive, tailor-made guidance by the coach and the follow-up via the GP, BOV is an extremely suitable platform to reach vulnerable target groups. From 2021, in certain regions, other healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, chinists and doctor-specialists (hospital) can also refer to the BOV coach.

The Department of Physical Education/Movement Recreation, option 'Adapted Physical Activities' of Arteveldehogeschool investigated the functioning and accessibility of the BOV project at the request of the local steering committee of the care region Ghent. Special focus was placed on target groups with a lower socio-economic status and/or a migration background.

Curious about the researchers' recommendations? You can consult the main findings under 'Publications'.

Want to know more about this project or see opportunities to collaborate with the college? Then contact dimitri.vrancken@arteveldehs.be

Also take a look at the digital archive of the Arteveldehogeschool for current undergraduate theses on this topic.

Partners

The research actions were both qualitative and quantitative in nature and came about through the cooperation of various partners such as Arteveldehogeschool, city of Ghent, LMN Regio Gent, Logo gezond+, the evaluation working group and the Vlaams Instituut Gezond Leven vzw.