The impact of bone mineral density testing, fracture assessment, and osteoporosis education in men treated by androgen deprivation for prostate cancer: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer have low knowledge of osteoporosis (OP) and engage in few healthy bone behaviors (HBBs). A multicomponent intervention was piloted in this population. Changes in OP knowledge, self-efficacy, health beliefs, and engagement in HBBs were evaluated.


METHODS
A pre-post pilot study was performed in a convenience sample of men recruited from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Men were sent personalized letters explaining their dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) results and fracture risk assessment with an OP-related education booklet. Participants completed questionnaires assessing OP knowledge, self-efficacy, health beliefs, and current engagement in HBBs at baseline (T1) and 3 months post-intervention (T2). Paired t tests and McNemar's test were used to assess changes in outcomes.


RESULTS
A total of 148 men completed the study. There was an increase in OP knowledge (9.7 ± 4.3 to 11.4 ± 3.3, p < 0.0001) and feelings of susceptibility (16.5 ± 4.3 to 17.4 ± 4.7, p = 0.015), but a decrease in total self-efficacy (86.3 ± 22.9 to 81.0 ± 27.6, p = 0.007) from baseline to post-intervention. Men made appropriate changes in their overall daily calcium intake (p ≤ 0.001), and there was uptake of vitamin D supplementation from 44 % (n = 65) to 68 % (n = 99) (p < 0.0001). Men with bone loss (osteopenia or OP) had a greater change in susceptibility (1.9 ± 4.3 vs. -0.22 ± 4.2, p = 0.005) compared to men with normal bone density.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results provide preliminary evidence that a multicomponent intervention such as the one described can lead to increased knowledge and feelings of susceptibility regarding OP and can enhance uptake of some HBBs.
Undergraduate Medicine Program, University of Toronto CREMS Scholar Program, Toronto, ON, Canada, michelle.nadler@mail.utoronto.ca.
Michelle
M
Nadler
Shabbir
S
Alibhai
Pamela
P
Catton
Charles
C
Catton
Jennifer
J
Jones
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020377:Self Efficacy
D000726:Androgen Antagonists