A clinic for the prevention of osteoporosis in general practice.
A clinic for women aged 40-60 years, offering screening and education about diet and hormone use and other measures for the prevention of osteoporosis, was organized in a group practice. Out of 582 eligible women contacted from the age-sex register, 252 (43%) attended the clinic. A year after the start of the clinic postal questionnaires were sent to all attenders and non-attenders to ascertain smoking habit, hormone use, calcium intake and social class. The use of hormone replacement therapy by the clinic attenders increased from a baseline of 15% to 45% but this had decreased to 38% one year later. Attending women were of higher social class and had slightly higher calcium intake than non-attenders. Although the use of hormone replacement therapy for prevention of osteoporosis is controversial, the risks and benefits were explained carefully to the women and the clinic provided a valuable opportunity for screening for weight problems, high blood pressure, menstrual problems and for health education about diet for the woman and her family.
Coope
J
J
Bollington Medical Centre, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
Roberts
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011314:Preventive Health Services