Stages of change for osteoporosis preventive behaviors: a construct validation study.
OBJECTIVE
This article presents a construct validation study for osteoporosis preventive behaviors based on a survey completed by 113 older adults.


METHODS
Participants were classified using stages of change for osteoporosis preventive behaviors according to an algorithm adapted from the Transtheoretical Model of health behavior change.


RESULTS
One-way analyses of variance and a hierarchical regression model indicate that stage of change location is significantly related to one's level of knowledge about osteoporosis as well as age, gender, and educational attainment. These findings bring support to the validity of the instrument.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this study indicate that elders' attitudes and knowledge about osteoporosis reflect public health messages heralding osteoporosis as the disease of the older White women. Significant health care expenditures in the nontargeted groups call for a revision in these messages. Further applications with more heterogeneous samples are necessary for thorough validation and reliability testing of the proposed instrument.
Popa
Mihaela A
MA
University of South Florida, School of Aging Studies, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MHC 1312, Tampa, FL 33620, USA. mpopa@cas.usf.edu.
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D044383:Black People; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People