Knowledge, attitude, and practice about osteoporosis in women with osteoporosis in Iran

Summary

This cross-sectional study evaluated knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding osteoporosis among postmenopausal Iranian women with confirmed diagnosis. Despite moderate knowledge and attitudes, participants exhibited poor preventive behaviors. Educational attainment positively correlated with knowledge and attitude, while insurance coverage significantly influenced practice. These findings underscore the necessity for structured educational interventions and policy-level support.

Background

Given the high prevalence of osteoporosis among Iranian women, this study evaluates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of postmenopausal women with the condition to identify gaps that may hinder effective management.

Material and Methods

A cross-sectional study in Tehran province in 2023 assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices of women aged 50 and older with osteoporosis. Participants were recruited from various osteoporosis centers, and data were collected through a standardized questionnaire, confirmed for reliability and validity. Linear regression analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 to identify factors influencing their knowledge, attitude, and practice.

Results

The study included 186 participants with an average age of 66.4 (SD 8.13). Cronbach’s alpha scores were 0.756 overall, with specific scores of 0.766 for knowledge, 0.455 for attitude, and 0.641 for practice. Cohen’s Kappa was 0.52, and CVR Ranged from 0.4 to 0.8, while CVI was 0.93 to 1, Leading to revisions for items with a CVR of 0.4. Mean scores were 74 (SD 8.01) for attitude, 12 (SD 3.70) for knowledge, and 16 (SD 3.78) for practice. Knowledge Levels showed 24.1% with good knowledge, 55% moderate, and 20.9% poor. In terms of attitudes, 29.4% had a positive attitude, while 70.6% had moderate attitude. No participants showed good practice, with 25.2% at a moderate Level and 74.8% inadequate. Multivariate analyses highlighted that the years of education influenced osteoporosis attitudes (β: 0.43, P<0.001) and knowledge (β: 0.27, P<0.001), while having health insurance affected osteoporosis practice (β: 2.34, P<0.001).

Conclusion

The study found that participants lacked sufficient knowledge about osteoporosis, despite having a somewhat positive attitude. Their performance in managing the condition was poor. This highlights the need for improved dissemination of information on osteoporosis management.