Knowledge, intentions and attitudes towards osteoporosis and other health conditions among older Australians.

Background

Osteoporosis burden is underdiagnosed and undertreated. While increasing community awareness and education are recognised priorities, research on how older adults view osteoporosis is limited. The aim was to assess osteoporosis-related knowledge, intentions and attitudes in relation to other health conditions in Australian adults aged 50 years and older.

Methods

A validated online questionnaire, developed with an expert panel, was administered to 1432 healthy volunteers, (64.3 ± 9.5 years). The questionnaire assessed knowledge of osteoporosis risk factors, attitudes and intentions. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with low knowledge.

Results

Knowledge score across six topics was 29.5 ± 14.5 (100 possible). Lowest scores were for 'exercises to improve balance' (11.1 ± 11.5) and highest for 'sources of calcium' (35.0 ± 26.4). The likelihood of being in the lowest knowledge tertile was associated with age (OR: 1.02, CI: 1.00-1.03), lower education level (OR: 1.38, CI: 1.00-1.89), being male (OR: 2.40, CI: 1.87-3.09) and those without a family history of osteoporosis (OR: 1.79, CI: 1.30-2.45).

Conclusion

The study identifies a concerning lack of knowledge about osteoporosis among older adults. Health promotion strategies to target discrete behaviours and address barriers and promoters for osteoporosis prevention are needed.