Prevalence of osteoporosis of the priests.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of osteoporosis in priests


METHODS
A cross sectional study was done in priests to evaluate the mineral bone density (BMD) measured by ultrasonography scanning at calcaneum in the out patients clinic of Priest Hospital and in the temples of central Bangkok. Questionnaire about related health behavior and past history of fracture including co-morbidity were reviewed.


RESULTS
The BMD showed that 49.32% of the examined priests had osteopenia, 45.68% had normal BMD, and only 5.01% had osteoporosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Osteopenia and osteoporosis in the priests were correlated with aging, longer duration of being priests, domicile in rural areas, and inadequate duration of standing and walking activity per day.
Chumnumnawin
Montchai
M
Department of Orthopedics, Priest Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
Sawetchaikul
Sirichai
S
Sresuriyasawad
Viriya
V
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002016:Buddhism; D002111:Calcaneus; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography