title: Knowledge of osteoporosis in a Swedish municipality--a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As a part of the Vadstena Osteoporosis Prevention Project, the knowledge of osteoporosis was examined before the intervention program started, after 5 and 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline (in 1989) 15% of the population in two Swedish municipalities was randomly invited to the study. The participants in the study group were invited for examination by forearm bone densitometry and a questionnaire concerning lifestyle and risk factors for osteoporosis and also knowledge of osteoporosis, while the subjects in the control group were examined only by questionnaire. Follow-ups were made in 1994 and in 1999. Meanwhile education about osteoporosis was given to the study group, to the public, and to various professionals in the study community.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a difference in the level of knowledge between the groups prior to the intervention. The rate of increment did not differ significantly between the groups for the study period. Previous participants had 0.58 higher score than new participants in the study group in 1994 (P = 0.031) and 0.76 higher score in 1999 (P < 0.001) regarding the total number of correct answers. The women in the study group had 0.63 higher score than the men in 1994 (P = 0.016) and 1.03 higher score in 1999 (P < 0.001) regarding the total number of correct answers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant effect of a general intervention program concerning the knowledge of osteoporosis in participants in the intervention area compared to the control area.
authors.affiliation: Vadstena Primary Health Care Center, Jungfruvägen 5, SE-592 32, Vadstena, Sweden. john.waller@swipnet.se; john.waller@lio.se
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foldevi
authors.forename: Ann-Charlotte Grahn
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kronhed
authors.forename: Lasse
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Owe
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Löfman
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toss
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möller
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden