The Relationship of Knowledge of Osteoporosis and Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women in Silesia Osteo Active Study.
The Silesia Osteo Active Study was designed to assess osteoporosis-related knowledge and its relationships with skeletal status in an epidemiological population-based program. Participants were chosen randomly from postmenopausal women over 55 yr. The study group consisted of 388 patients (mean age 65 ± 7). All participants fulfilled medical and socioeconomic questionnaires and test concerning osteoporosis-related knowledge. They underwent proximal femur and lumbar spine densitometry. The mean level of osteoporosis knowledge was 7.3 ± 2.0 for 10 questions. Osteoporosis knowledge seems to have no influence on densitometry results in the population; nevertheless it improves femoral neck (FN) density in those without prior personal experience of osteoporosis (r = 0.15; p < 0.05). Higher knowledge of osteoporosis was connected with osteoporosis in family, hormone replacement therapy or smoking history, and higher educational degree. The level of knowledge was significantly better in younger than in older participants (7.4 vs 6.7; p < 0.01). Osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5) was established in 6.4%, 2%, and 33% for FN, total hip, and spine, respectively. As a conclusion, current study revealed a positive influence of the knowledge of osteoporosis on FN density in postmenopausal women without prior personal experience of the disease.
Doctoral Studies, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: elizabeth-a@o2.pl.
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Tabor
Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Metabolic Bone Diseases Unit, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
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Kuźniewicz
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports-Clinic, Żory, Poland.
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Zagórski
Doctoral Studies, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
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Martela
Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Metabolic Bone Diseases Unit, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
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Pluskiewicz
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011897:Random Allocation; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Bone densitometry; epidemiological study; knowledge; postmenopausal women