Osteoporosis knowledge and beliefs among postmenopausal women: A cross-sectional study from a teaching hospital in southern India

Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool - Tamil (OKAT-T) in postmenopausal women: A validity and reliability study

Introduction

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that is more prevalent among postmenopausal women (PMW) due to hormonal transition. Various toolkits, including the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT), were available for the knowledge assessment. The Osteoporosis-related knowledge is crucial for preventing osteoporosis, but there is no validated, reliable questionnaire in Tamil to measure this knowledge.

Aim

To validate the Tamil version of the OKAT (OKAT-T) and its psychometric properties to measure the knowledge of osteoporosis for use in postmenopausal women.

Methodology

This cross-sectional study was done in two phases, as translation of OKAT in Tamil and validation of OKAT-T among 430 postmenopausal women in both rural and urban regions. Reliability was examined by the Flesch reading ease (FKRE&G) and McNemar's test, along with difficulty index, item discrimination and item-total correlations, inter-item consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient).

Result

The overall mean age of the 430 PMW was 59.53 ± 9.83 years. The results showed a good and satisfactory face validity and FKRE&G score (55.9). The Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was calculated as 0.85 and considered to be good and satisfactory. As per the difficulty index, 19 items had a 0.3 to 0.7, implying that the questionnaire was easy to understand and satisfactory. Similarly, a test-retest was assessed, which was statistically significant for only six items out of 26, showing that the tool has stable reliability.

Conclusion

The management of chronic disorders such as osteoporosis has become more challenging for patients especially among PMW and healthcare professionals due to the increasing life expectancy and urbanization. The use of an Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment tool that has been tailored to people's understanding and developed in the local language can raise awareness levels about osteoporosis, encourage the adoption of osteoprotective strategies, and provide guidance on treatment options.

Hip Structural Analysis and Bone Strain Index in Clinical Practice: Their Utility Beyond BMD

Previous studies have demonstrated that in certain medical conditions, fragility fractures tend to occur even at bone mineral density (BMD) levels that are in the nonosteoporotic range. This warrants the assessment of other factors beyond BMD that might confer an increased propensity to fracture. Hip structural analysis (HSA) is also performed by the DXA scanner and evaluates different variables pertaining to proximal hip geometry. Bone Strain Index (BSI) is another novel DXA-based tool that was recently developed to further assess bone health. This has been based on a finite element analysis of grey scale images of density distribution of the femoral and lumbar spine scans obtained from a DXA scanner. Preliminary studies assessing the utility of BSI in predicting fragility fractures have been promising. This review will focus on the technical details and utility of the HSA and BSI beyond conventional BMD assessment.

Osteoporosis Knowledge and Awareness Among Patients and Accompanying Attendants: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is a common yet underdiagnosed condition that increases fracture risk and disability. It is particularly prevalent in individuals with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders due to factors like immobility and disuse. Despite its impact, awareness of osteoporosis remains low, especially in this high-risk population. This study aims to assess the knowledge of osteoporosis among patients with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders attending a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient department (OPD). Using tools like the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool- Hindi (OKAT-H), the study seeks to identify knowledge gaps and promote prevention and early detection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 300 participants, including patients and accompanying attendants, who visited the OPD of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, aged 40 years and above. The sample size was calculated based on data from a previous study, resulting in a target of 292 participants. Socioeconomic status was assessed using the Modified Kuppuswamy scale, classifying participants into five classes. Osteoporosis awareness was measured using the OKAT-H.

RESULTS

 The mean OKAT-H score was found to be 9.82 out of 20 (49.1%), with a standard deviation of 5.06, ranging from a minimum score of 2/20 to a maximum of 20/20. Significant differences in OKAT-H scores were found in rural and urban populations (P value=0.001) and among the classes of socioeconomic status (P value=0.001) of the participants based on the Modified Kuppuswamy scale.

CONCLUSION

Our study using the OKAT-H scale revealed a significant knowledge gap regarding osteoporosis among individuals with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, as well as their caregivers. This lack of awareness increases the risk of fractures and related complications. To address this, targeted educational programs should be implemented in the OPD of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation departments, focusing on improving knowledge of osteoporosis, raising awareness of its risks and prevention, and educating individuals on fall prevention measures, the use of mobility and orthotic aids, and necessary home and workplace modifications.

Effects of whole-body vibration on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: an overview of systematic reviews

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the findings of existing systematic reviews (SRs) and provide scientific evidence on the efficacy and safety of whole-body vibration (WBV) in improving bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women, to provide recommendations and guidance for future high-quality clinical research and SRs.

METHODS

We conducted searches in six databases (SinoMed, CNKI, Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science) from the inception of the databases until July 31, 2023. The language was limited to Chinese or English. The methodological quality, risk of bias, and evidence grade of outcomes were evaluated using AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, and GRADE, respectively. Additionally, the degree of overlap in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) among the SRs was calculated using corrected covered area (CCA). Furthermore, we performed quantitative synthesis or descriptive analysis of the relevant data. All relevant operations were independently conducted by two individuals.

RESULTS

A total of 15 SRs were included in the analysis, out of which three were qualitative descriptions and 12 were meta-analyses. According to AMSTAR-2, only two SRs were rated as low or moderate, while the remaining 13 SRs were rated as critically low quality. The ROBIS assessment indicated that seven SRs had a low risk of bias, while 8 SRs had a high risk of bias. The overall findings suggest that WBV does not have a significant advantage in improving BMD in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, the CCA results revealed a high overlap in RCTs across five outcomes among the 15 SRs. Only five SRs reported specific adverse reactions/events experienced by participants after WBV interventions, and none of the SRs reported any severe adverse events.

CONCLUSION

The existing evidence cannot establish definitive advantages of WBV in improving BMD in postmenopausal women. Therefore, we do not recommend the use of WBV for improving BMD in postmenopausal women. However, WBV may have potential value in maintaining BMD in postmenopausal women, further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Awareness Levels Among Indian Postmenopausal Women About Osteoporosis and Its Relationship With Sociodemographic Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study From Northern India

Background Osteoporosis is a silent disease and can be prevented by providing correct and appropriate information to the individuals at risk. Therefore, we aim to find out the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of postmenopausal women, the highest-risk group. Methods Between May 2021 and December 2023, a cross-sectional study was done in the Military Hospital in Ambala, India, in 1326 postmenopausal women of age between 45 and 70 years who visited the outpatient department of orthopedics and who previously had a measure of bone mineral density (BMD) or estimation of BMD. All patients participating in the study received a questionnaire that assessed the level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to osteoporosis. The Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) was used to assess these parameters. Results The mean age was 60±3.1 years. The mean score for osteoporosis awareness was 6/20 points. A total of 983 (73.13%) had no knowledge about osteoporosis, and 221 (16.66%) had higher knowledge. Knowledge about osteoporosis was low with a mean knowledge score of 7.44±3.16 and a median of 7.2. It was found that those who graduated had some knowledge regarding osteoporosis with the help of either a hospital staff or a family member who had a history of osteoporosis. Conclusions Even among postmenopausal women who know they are at risk and should have BMD, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about osteoporosis were found to be quite low. In addition, education and mass communications are needed to increase awareness among women of this age about improving bone health.

Assessment of osteoporosis knowledge and its determinants among tuberculosis patients in tertiary care hospital Malaysia: A prospective study

Objective

Osteoporosis self-care knowledge is essential to encourage the patient's contribution towards controlling the disease. Osteoporosis incidence with various infectious diseases prompts us to conduct a study on osteoporosis knowledge among Tuberculosis (TB) patients. This study aimed to assess osteoporosis-related knowledge and its influencing factors among TB patients.

Methods

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the TB clinic of Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, and an osteoporosis knowledge test (OKT), a structured questionnaire, was used to collect data. TB patients aged 18 years and above with compromised bone health were included in the present study. Overall knowledge scores were dichotomized, calculating the mean score, descriptive statistics, and multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the influence of risk factors on knowledge scores.

Results

Of 337 patients, 129(38.28 %) had good osteoporosis knowledge and 208(61.72 %) had poor knowledge. Among them, 231(68.54 %) were males, and 106(31.45 %) were females, with a mean age of 46.5 ± 17.1 years. The mean ± SD of OKT total score was 10.5 ± 2.0. The mean ± SD of the exercise knowledge score was 5.3 ± 3.4, while the nutrition knowledge score was 5.0 ± 3.2. Male gender (OR 3.86, 95 % CI 1.98-7.53), low-income level (OR 1.92, 95 % CI 1.12-3.30), rural residents (OR 2.49, 95 % CI 1.46-4.27) and participants with no formal education (OR 4.34, 95 % CI 1.11-16.84) or ≤12 years of education (OR 3.63, 95 % CI 1.52-8.65) were significantly responsible for poor OKT score.

Conclusion

The results indicated that most TB patients had a poor perception of osteoporosis. More extensive strategies should be developed to enhance the campaign of awareness programs among TB patients to improve preventive measures of osteoporosis, such as calcium intake and exercise.

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: Menopause Hormone Therapy and Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators

Introduction

Osteoporosis is a debilitating silent disease with a huge socio-economic impact. Prevention strategies and early detection of osteoporosis need to be carried out in every health care unit to substantially reduce the fracture rates. Indian studies have indicated a knowledge gap on diagnosis and management of osteoporosis amongst medical professionals and consumers.

Areas Covered

This article reviews the evidences available on searches from PubMed and The National Library of Medicine, author's opinions based on clinical experience. There is a need for escalating the efforts to bridge the knowledge gap regarding various aspects of osteoporosis amongst professionals and consumers. Three indications for postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT), which have constantly withstood the test of time, are symptom relief, urogenital atrophy, and bone health. This article specifically focuses on management of postmenopausal osteoporosis by HT alone or in combinations.

Expert Opinion

Early menopause is within 10 years of menopause and late menopause is considered beyond 10 years of menopause. HT is a cost-effective therapy in the early post menopause especially in symptomatic women at risk for osteoporosis unless contraindicated. HT prevents all osteoporotic fractures even in low-risk population. All HT preparations including low dose and non-oral routes of estrogen are effective for bone health. The bone protective effect lasts while on HT. Extended use of HT in women after 10 years of menopause with reduced bone mass is an option after detailed counselling of the risk benefit analysis compared with the other available therapies for osteoporosis. The primary therapy to prevent bone loss in women with premature menopause and secondary amenorrhea is HT. HT work up and annual follow-up is essential before prescribing HT.

Assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice of osteoporosis among Pakistani women: A national social-media based survey

BACKGROUND

There are numerous risk factors for osteoporosis and understanding and recognizing these risk factors is critical when deciding whether to take preventive measures. It is critical to reduce the healthcare expenditure burden of the Pakistani population by raising awareness and implementing osteoporosis-preventable measures. This survey aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Pakistani women as well as their misconceptions about osteoporosis.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August 2021 to January 2022 by the Bone & Mineral Disease research group at Section of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, with exemption from the ethical review committee. Using snowball sampling, a validated Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Tool (OPAAT) was disseminated online via social media. With informed consent, 400 Pakistani women aged ≥ 18 years were included in the study. SPSS Statistics version 25.0 was used for data analysis. Chi-square test for association and Fisher-exact test were applied, and significance level was α<0.05.

RESULTS

Based on the OPAAT scores of all (n = 400) participants, 22% (n = 88) had low knowledge, 44% (n = 176) had average knowledge, while 34% (n = 136) had good knowledge of osteoporosis. The most common misconceptions were about age-related risk, presentation of symptoms, radiation risk, associated risk factors like tooth loss, osteoarthritis, and knowledge about predictors of bone health.

CONCLUSION

Adult Pakistani women have a fair understanding of osteoporosis, but the OPAAT tool clarifies some common misconceptions. There is a need to develop educational strategies to increase the knowledge of osteoporosis among Pakistani adults and to promote a bone-healthy lifestyle.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Levels of Postmenopausal Women about Osteoporosis

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis can be delayed by providing accurate and adequate information to people at risk. Therefore, we aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and behavior levels of women in the postmenopausal period, which is the largest group at risk.

METHODS

The study was conducted in a tertiary Training and Research Hospital between 1 December 2018 and 1 May 2019 in 225 postmenopausal women who applied to the Family Medicine outpatient clinic and bone mineral density (BMD) outpatient clinics for BMD measurement or had previously had this measurement at least once. A questionnaire evaluating the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior levels related to osteoporosis was applied to all patients included in the study.

RESULTS

The mean age was 58.05±9.1 years. The median osteoporosis knowledge score was 7 out of 19 points. A total of 119 (52.9%) had low knowledge scores and 106 (47.1%) had higher knowledge scores. Of the individuals with high scores, 40 (37.7%) were smoking, 64 (60.4%) did not sunbathe, 89 (84%) did not consume the recommended daily amount of calcium, and 58 (54.7%) were not exercising in the recommended time. It was seen that those who were university graduates, who had previously learned about osteoporosis from a health professional, and who had a family history of osteoporosis had higher knowledge levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Even in postmenopausal women who are aware that they are in the risk group and that they should have BMD, their knowledge, attitude, and behavior levels on osteoporosis were found to be quite low.

Development and Validation of India-specific Hindi Version of Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool

Purpose

Patient education is one of the important components of reducing the morbidity of osteoporosis. The aim of this study is to validate the Hindi version of the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT-H) among a hospital-based sample in the age group of 18-44 years of age.

Methods

The study was conducted in two phases - translation and adaption of the OKAT in Hindi followed by its validation. The translated tool was analyzed by Flesch reading ease, McNemar test, Cronbach alpha, difficulty index, discrimination index, and principal factor analysis.

Results

Two hundred and sixty women with a mean age of 28.3 ± 17.2 years were enrolled in the study. The mean score of the OKAT-H tool obtained in the study was 11.3 ± 2.1. A significant difference was noted in the scores based on educational qualification or with any family history of either osteoporosis or fracture (P < 0.05). The Flesch score for the OKAT-H tool was 86. Inter-item correlation for all the items ranged between 0.15 and 0.5. The Cronbach's alpha measured 0.892 suggesting high internal consistency. Items number 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, and 14 showed a significant difference on the McNemar test questioning its consistency on test-retest.

Conclusion

A new shorter version of the tool may be developed since six items showed low consistency. The use of such an instrument in local language would help spread awareness about the disease as well as help the population in adopting osteoprotective strategies and also to seek help and advice regarding treatment.

Assessment of osteoporosis knowledge, awareness, and risk factors among premenopausal and postmenopausal women from Jordan: a cross-sectional study

RATIONALE

Lack of information about osteoporosis knowledge and awareness among premenopausal compared to postmenopausal women in Jordan.

MAIN RESULT

Women had an average-poor knowledge and awareness about osteoporosis.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study highlights the need to improve women's knowledge about osteoporosis, its consequences, potential risk factors, preventive measures, and treatment options.

PURPOSE

To assess osteoporosis knowledge, awareness, and risk factor profile among premenopausal and postmenopausal women from Jordan.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study that involved 490 premenopausal and 488 postmenopausal women from the general population of Jordan. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect the sociodemographic and clinical data and to complete the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) questionnaire.

RESULTS

Premenopausal and postmenopausal women had an average-poor level of knowledge and awareness regarding osteoporosis, with a total mean score of 51.3 and 50.9, respectively, out of the total OKAT score of 100. More than 50% of premenopausal women correctly answered 11 questions, while >50% of postmenopausal women correctly answered 9 questions out of 20 in OKAT, which are related to knowledge and awareness about osteoporosis. The participants' marital status (being married), higher educational level, and higher economic status were significantly associated with better knowledge and awareness about osteoporosis (p-values < 0.05). Postmenopausal women had higher osteoporosis risk profile including older age, higher body mass index, less regular exercise, and less exposure to sunlight versus premenopausal women.

CONCLUSION

Premenopausal and postmenopausal women from Jordan had an average-poor level of knowledge and awareness about osteoporosis. Higher educational levels and higher income are associated with better knowledge and awareness about osteoporosis. It is therefore crucial to improve the knowledge of women in Jordan about osteoporosis and its consequences, as well as the potential risk factors, preventive measures, and treatment options. Conducting periodic osteoporosis awareness and educational campaigns are necessary to spread the awareness of the disease.

Evaluation of Osteoporosis Perception Among Saudi Arabian Premenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study Using the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT)

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is a major clinical problem that affects the whole population, especially women. It is a condition that is becoming more prevalent with aging. The increase in bone fragility associated with the disease can lead to fractures, even from minor trauma. Our goal is to evaluate the extent of knowledge about osteoporosis and perceptions of it among premenopausal women in Saudi Arabia.

METHOD

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among premenopausal women during the months of June and July 2021. We distributed an online questionnaire on social networking sites and applications that Saudi women use on a daily basis. We used the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) to evaluate the responses.

RESULT

A total of 661 women took part in our study; 159 of them were excluded because they had either reached the menopausal period or had already been diagnosed with the disease. The overall perception of osteoporosis is noticeably poor, as only 55% of respondents had an acceptable level of knowledge. In addition, we found a statistically significant association between education level and knowledge level (p-value = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

The findings revealed that more than half the participants scored "acceptable" in terms of their understanding of the disease, which indicates a serious awareness gap. This outcome demonstrates the necessity of increasing community awareness about osteoporosis to reduce potential harm and the financial burden of healthcare.

A health communication campaign for prevention of osteoporosis in rural elderly women

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis, as the most common metabolic disease and the leading cause of death among older people, affects more than 200 million women throughout the world. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a health communication campaign on knowledge, attitude, and practice of older women towards prevention and control of osteoporosis.

METHODS

In this multi-stage mixed methods study, 30 days' health communication campaign for prevention of osteoporosis was conducted on 60- 75-year-old women, in rural areas of Fasa, Iran. Subjects were divided into two groups, control (n = 103) and intervention (n = 98). Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 25.0. The significance level was set at < 0.05.

RESULTS

Inter-group group analysis revealed that the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were not significantly different between the two groups before the intervention, but after the intervention, unlike the behavior (P = 0.569), mean scores of knowledge (p < 0.001) and attitude (p < 0.001) of the intervention group were significantly more than the control group. Intra-group comparisons showed that, unlike the control group, the mean scores of knowledge (p < 0.001), attitudes (p < 0.001), and behavior (P < 0.001) increased significantly in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Health communication campaign is an effective way to change the knowledge and attitude and to a lesser extent the practice of the eldery toward prevention and control of osteoporosis.

A Study to Assess the Osteoporosis Knowledge and Preventive Practice among Menopausal Women: A Community Based Survey

Background and Objectives Osteoporosis is a multifactorial and slowly emerging global health problem. Along with menopause, one out of three women between the age group of 50 to 60 years in India suffers from osteoporosis. Indian women have an early age onset of osteoporosis as compared to their Western counterparts. The current study assessed osteoporosis knowledge and preventive practice among menopausal women. The study's objectives were to 1) assess the osteoporosis knowledge and preventive practice among women, 2) find the correlation between the knowledge and preventive practice among menopausal women, and 3) find the association of knowledge and preventive practice with selected demographic variables.

Methods A quantitative nonexperimental research approach with a descriptive correlational survey design was adopted in the study. A total of 100 samples between the ages of 45 and 56 years were the participants. Data were collected using demographic proforma, a self-structured knowledge questionnaire, and a preventive practice checklist. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results The majority of the menopausal women (65%) were between the age group of 53 and 56 years and 79% of menopausal women were having primary education, 77% of them were unskilled workers. Fifty percent of the participants had shown adequate knowledge with a median score of 12 and the remaining half of the participants had a knowledge score < 12. The knowledge score among women was 11.47 ± 2.4 with a maximum score of 17 and the minimum score of 5. With regard to the preventive practice, the participants were 20.12 ± 2.22.

Conclusion The study showed a gross deficit in osteoporosis knowledge among menopausal women and they were following unhealthy practices in their lifetime. There is a need to prioritize designing appropriate awareness campaigns regarding osteoporosis among subjects who are at risk, according to their level of literacy.

Evaluate Postmenopausal Women’s Knowledge of Osteoporosis Prevention at Specific hospital, Kancheepuram

Background: Osteoporosis is a disease that changes with time. It’s a serious bone condition marked by brittle bones. Thickness, less technical degradation of bone tissue, and consequent increased bone plasticity, greatly increasing the risk of fractures bone. Osteoporosis is a public health issue affecting 200 million women worldwide each year. Objectives: Evaluate postmenopausal women’s knowledge of osteoporosis prevention. Methodology: Quantitative approach with descriptive research design. Independent variable is self-structured inquiry and dependent variable is Knowledge of postmenopausal women. The study was conducted at kancheepuram district. Sample includes post-menopausal who fulfils the inclusion criteria were selected by convenient sampling technique. Results:osteoporosis among postmenopausal women was 11.82 with standard deviation 4.57 with maximum score of 20.0. The calculated statistically highly significant at p<0.05 level. Summary: The analysis shows there is no association with the level of knowledge among osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

Impact of teriparatide therapy in Indian postmenopausal women with osteoporosis with regard to DXA-derived parameters

Background

There is paucity of literature on the impact of teriparatide on hip geometry and bone microarchitecture globally and none from the Indian subcontinent. This study examined the outcome of teriparatide therapy on vertebral fractures, bone mineral density (BMD), hip structural analysis (HSA), and trabecular bone score (TBS) in Indian postmenopausal women with severe osteoporosis.

Methodology

Ambulatory postmenopausal women above the age of 50 years with either severe osteoporosis or vertebral fractures, or both, were recruited. All patients received cholecalciferol (2000 IU/day), calcium carbonate (elemental calcium 1 g/day), and teriparatide (20 mcg subcutaneously/day) for 24 months. Baseline bone biochemistry, BMD, TBS, and HSA were assessed and repeated after 24 months of therapy. Incident vertebral and nonvertebral fractures were also studied.

Results

A total of 51 postmenopausal women with mean (SD) age of 65.7(8.6) years, and mean (SD) body mass index of 22.7 (3.5) kg/m2 were recruited in this study. Vertebral fractures were present in 74.5% (38/51) at baseline. Following teriparatide therapy, significant improvement was observed in the BMD (g/cm2) at both the lumbar spine (0.706-0.758: p < 0.001) and femoral neck (0.551-0.579: p = 0.047) as well as the TBS (1.160-1.271: p < 0.001). Most indices of proximal hip geometry also showed significant improvement following teriparatide therapy at 24 months. Incident vertebral fractures were noted in only 7.8% (4/51) of participants, while 92% (47/51) of participants did not develop any new vertebral fractures on follow-up.

Conclusion

In South Indian postmenopausal women with either severe osteoporosis or vertebral fractures, or both, teriparatide was effective in improving the bone mineral parameters and bone quality.

How much do patients know about osteoporosis? A survey among patients referred to the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry exam

BACKGROUND

Inadequate osteoporosis education can make patients ill-informed concerning preventive and therapeutic interventions and creates misconceptions and unnecessary concerns about the disease.

AIM

Our study aimed to assess whether patients referred to the DXA exam by their general practitioner are informed about risk factors for osteoporosis, comparing patients who received a diagnosis of osteoporosis before the exam with those without this diagnosis.

METHODS

An observational single-center study was performed among patients who were referred to the DXA exam at the Osteoporosis Service of Marche Nord Hospital (Fano, Italy) between April and July 2019. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, awareness of suffering from osteoporosis, femoral and lumbar spine T-score and bone mineral density, risk of fracture and the I-FOOQ score were assessed.

RESULTS

A pilot study was carried out to validate the questionnaire in the Italian language (alpha-Cronbach 0.75). After that, a sample of 128 patients was enrolled (response rate 93.3%). Mean age was 66 ± 10.6 years, 95.6% were women. Overall, I-FOOQ mean score was 12 ± 3.5. Age, educational level, menopausal age, body mass index, femoral T-score were not associated with a better knowledge (p > 0.05). A comparison between who know to suffer from osteoporosis and others found no differences (12.2 ± 3.4 and 12 ± 3.5, respectively, p = 0.772). Effect of walking, recommended calcium intake, and familiar predisposition are the less known topics.

CONCLUSION

Patients who undergo the DXA exam are poorly informed about risk factors for osteoporosis, independently of age, education, bone mineral density and risk of fracture. Knowing to suffer from osteoporosis does not increase the likelihood to be informed. It is mandatory to improve the education that is provided to the patients, as there are effective non-pharmacological interventions to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

Knowledge, health belief, and associated factors towards the prevention of osteoporosis among post-menopausal women in Metu Town, southwest Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is a condition where bones lose mass and strength. It is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in women, especially those of post-menopausal age. It is estimated that 30% of postmenopausal women globally suffer from osteoporosis. This study aimed to assess knowledge, health beliefs, and associated factors towards the prevention of osteoporosis among post-menopausal women in Metu Town, southwest Ethiopia, 2021.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 post-menopause women. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select study participants. Data was collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were condcuted to identify factors significantly associated with the outcome variable.

RESULTS

The results showed that 38.4% and 44.5% of participants had adequate knowledge and positive health beliefs towards the prevention of osteoporosis. Age, marital status, educational status, employment status, and self and family history of osteoporosis were significantly associated with knowledge. Age, educational status, self and family history of osteoporosis, and sources of information were significantly associated with health beliefs.

CONCLUSION

More than 40% of participants had adequate knowledge and positive health beliefs. Being younger, better educated, and having a personal and family history of osteoporosis increased the odds of having adequate knowledge and positive health beliefs. Being employed and getting information from families and friends had a significant association with higher odds of adequate knowledge and positive health beliefs.

Evaluation of knowledge about osteoporosis risk factors among adults above 40 years of age in Hafar Al-Batin Region, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a growing public health issue that is prevalent among the Saudi Arabian population. Several risk factors for the disease have been identified and could be modified using preventive strategies, including increasing awareness about the disease in susceptible individuals.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using interview-based questionnaires to evaluate knowledge of osteoporosis risk factors in a sample of 513 Saudi participants attending primary health care centers (PHCCs) in the Hafar Al-Batin region, Saudi Arabia. The analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21.

FINDINGS

A total of 513 participants were surveyed (78.8% female and 21.2% male). The study population had an overall good knowledge about osteoporosis risk factors. The analysis detected significant associations between the level of knowledge and the following parameters: sex, marital status, employment status, and education level (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of the study cohort had good knowledge of osteoporosis risk factors. The male participants had significantly more knowledge compared to females. Married people had better knowledge scores compared to unmarried ones. Employed and educated participants had significantly better knowledge compared to unemployed and those with an education level less than college. The involvement of primary health care utilizers by physicians and health authorities is highly recommended to increase awareness of osteoporosis.

To study the awareness of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Indian women in a Northeast part of India: An evaluation of the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale

Aim and Objective:

Our study's objective is to determine the level of awareness in postmenopausal women in Guwahati, Northeast part of India, using the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale (OHBS).

Settings and Design:

Osteoporosis is the most common silent health problem in postmenopausal Indian women. An awareness level among this subset of women needs to study. The present study is based on a self-explanatory questionnaire.

Methods:

We conducted a self-explanatory questionnaire study on 2000 postmenopausal women in Guwahati, North East region of India. The bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using calcaneum Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) to assess BMD. Baseline characteristics were noted and analyzed.

Results:

The awareness level was noted only in757 (37.85%). Women with education level 12^th standard and above have some awareness regarding osteoporosis.

Conclusions:

Based on the present study, we can conclude that there is a lack of awareness in postmenopausal women regarding osteoporosis in India's North-East region. This subset of women is unaware of the condition that can leads to fragility fracture if not address in time. The study emphasizes that health care professionals should conduct frequent awareness programs in the community to prevent this silent disease, and morbidities so arise from osteoporosis can be minimized.

The development of a reliable and valid instrument to measure the osteoporosis-related knowledge: validation of the Hungarian version of Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT)

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is one of the most common chronic musculoskeletal diseases. Osteoporosis-related knowledge is an important contributor in to prevent osteoporosis. There is no validated reliable questionnaire to measure the knowledge in Hungary. The aim of the study was to validate the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) Hungarian version.

METHODS

The research was a randomized validation study of a new Hungarian language instrument. The questionnaire was administered to 557 randomly selected healthy women (age between 25 and 44 years) from December 2018 to July 2019 in Baranya county, Hungary. The reliability was examined by the Flesch reading ease and McNemar's test. We examined item discrimination and item-total correlations, inter-item consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) and principal component factor analysis.

RESULTS

Significant differences (p <  0.001) were reported between total scores and the age categories. Significant (p <  0.001) correlation (r = 0.25) was found between the education level and the knowledge. Significantly (p <  0.001) higher knowledge were found in health care profession (14.53 ± 3.58) than the non-health care profession (9.99 ± 4.04). Participants with osteoporosis or fracture in family history had better knowledge (p <  0.001). Flesch reading ease was 44, the questionnaire had a Ferguson's sigma of 0.94 and a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81. There were no negative inter-item correlations psychometric properties of the OKAT, all items had more than 70% of correlations (p <  0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The Hungarian version of the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool is a reliable and objective questionnaire to measure women's knowledge in Hungary.

Prevalence and risk factors for osteoporotic fracture among adults with comorbidities in Al-Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia

Background and Aims

Little is known about the prevalence of osteoporotic fracture, its sociodemographic correlates, and its comorbid conditions among the adult population of the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Hence, the present work aimed to assess the prevalence of adults at high risk of osteoporotic fracture in the presence of its known risk factors. As well, to determine the most commonly associated comorbidities of osteoporosis in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed among 518 Saudi adults aged over 45 years in Al-Ahsaa city, KSA. The Arabic version of the fracture risk assessment FRAX without bone mineral density (BMD) was presented in an online questionnaire.

Results

The 10-year risk for major osteoporotic fracture was found in 50.81% of the participants; 23.48% of them were at high risk and 25.71% at moderate risk. Also, 26.27% of the respondents were at high risk of hip fracture. Significant correlates of osteoporotic fractures included female gender (P = 0.003), old age (P = 0.000), age at menopause (P = 0.000), low body mass index (BMI; P = 0.000), previous fracture (P = 0.000), alcohol consumption (P = 0.000), positive family history (P = 0.000), corticosteroids (P = 0.000), rheumatoid arthritis (P = 0.000), thyroid hyperactivity (P = 0.000), gonadal insufficiency (P = 0.000), chronic liver disease (P = 0.000), nutritional, or gestational disease (P = 0.000).

Conclusion

More than a third of the surveyed population had osteoporosis, which was associated with many sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Therefore, early interventions for osteoporosis and the prevention of other comorbidities may improve the outcome of osteoporosis.