Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease and it needs to be aware of severity or precautions. It is likely to have a profound effect on physical activity level and calcium intake. The aim of this study is to examine knowledge of osteoporosis (OP), health behaviours, and health beliefs among a sample of women working in different branch banks in Ankara, Turkey. Women completed a self-administered questionnaire providing age, weight, height and demographic profile data. The Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) and International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) One-Minute OP Risk Test administered to a 200 randomly selected, sedentary occupied women aged 21-54 years. OKAT contains 20 item instrument with true, false and don’t know responses. The analysis was fulfilled by scoring 1 for a correct response and 0 for an incorrect or don’t know response. The total score range was from 0 to 20. Other risk test includes 19 questions and analysis was performed by scoring 1 for a correct response and 0 for an incorrect response. The more women’s age and body mass index, the more risk of OP (p<0.01). The status of education is related to OP risk. Women graduating from high school had more risk compared to upper level educated women (p<0.05). The majority of women seemed to be largely unaware of the potential threat of OP, especially targeting younger women, to cease progression of OP or carry a step further for any preventative interventions.

Biography

Nida Tokac Er has completed her Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics from Hacettepe University. She is pursuing her Master’s degree in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Ankara University. Also, she is a Research Assistant at the same University.

Email: ntokac@ankara.edu.tr