الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 293 |  |  |
| | | from | 293 | | |
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study assessed the effect of applying a Health Belief Model about
osteoporosis on preventive practices among selected Jordanian female teachers aged between 25
and 49 years (n=203, 100 teachers in the study group and 103 in the control group) in four
governmental secondary schools affiliated to Amman governorate. The author hypothesized that
female teachers who engage in osteoporosis education program which demonstrate high levels
about preventive practices of osteoporosis and strong health beliefs in preventive practices of
osteoporosis than those who do not engage. Measures included: (1) Female teacher health profile
structured questionnaire was used to assess personal and socio-demographic data, health history,
and general information about osteoporosis, (2) Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT) which
consists of 35 items consisting of OKT risk factors subscale that consists of 18 items and OKT
preventive strategies related to exercise and calcium subscale that consists of 17 items, (3)
Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale (OHBS) which consists of a 42-item instrument consisting of
seven subscales addressing health beliefs. The subscales address susceptibility, severity or
seriousness, benefits of exercise, benefits of calcium intake, barriers to exercise, barriers to
calcium intake, and health motivation, and (4) Osteoporosis preventive practices structured
questionnaire which addresses osteoporosis preventing practices involving the categories of diet,
activities/physical exercise, adoption of risk –reducing behaviors such as (smoking, caffeine
use), and sun exposure. Subjects in the study group provided health education sessions based on
Health Belief Model about osteoporosis definition, prevalence and risk factors; symptoms,
complications, diagnosis and treatment; and preventive measures including nutritional prevention
and calcium-rich foods and exercise. The majority of the control and the study groups had known
about osteoporosis (94.2%; 95.0%). The majority of the both groups had the correct definition of
osteoporosis (83.5%; 84.2%). More than half of the teachers in the control and the study groups
reported television as the main source of knowledge. Less than half of the teachers in the control
and the study groups had expectation of future osteoporosis risk. Concerning the causes for
developing future osteoporosis among teachers who expected to have osteoporosis, almost more
than half of the teachers in the two groups mentioned dietary factors as a major risk factor.
Before applying the health education program that based on the Health Belief Model, about less
than half of the teachers in the control and the study groups had moderate knowledge about risk
factors and preventive strategies for osteoporosis, and more than one third of them had little
knowledge. After application of the osteoporosis health education, a positive effect on
knowledge among the study group was apparent. There was increasing in osteoporosis
knowledge and all of the teachers in the study group had strong knowledge. It was effective in
altering osteoporosis health beliefs in favor of predicting osteoporosis preventive behaviors.
Teachers who received the interventions had statistically higher improvements in osteoporosis
health beliefs and had strong beliefs related to preventive behaviors.
Health education sessions were effective in most importantly increasing the osteoporosis
preventive strategies among the study group by comparing percentages before, after and during
follow up stages. Teachers who received the intervention had a significant increase self-reported
osteoporosis preventive strategies. There was no effect of age on osteoporosis knowledge among
the study group. There were no statistically significant differences between ages in pre-post
intervention and follow up stages. On the contrary, there was effect among the control group.
There were statistically differences across the age groups in the three stages among the control
group. OKT score was a statistically significantly higher among older women (> 39-49 years).
No statistically significant differences between ages were detected on all osteoporosis health
beliefs subscales in pre-intervention stage among the study group. On the contrary, there were
statistically significant differences in responses to the OHBS across the age groups in postintervention
and follow up stages with older women (> 39–49 years). Also, there were no
statistically significant differences between ages on all osteoporosis health beliefs scale among
the control group in pre-intervention stage. On the contrary, there was a statistically significant
difference across the age groups in the responses to the ‘perceived susceptibility section of the
OHBS in post-intervention and follow up with older women (> 39–49 years). There was a
statistically significant difference between ages in the responses to the barriers to exercise
section of the OHBS in post-intervention stage with the older age group (>39–49 years) reported
the most barriers to exercise. Otherwise, no statistically significant differences between ages
were found in the control group in post-intervention and follow up stages in the other sections of
osteoporosis health beliefs. The findings of this study could be used as a basis for developing
primary healthcare programs regarding osteoporosis preventive strategies based on the Health
Belief Model. The findings also support the need to raising public and community awareness
toward osteoporosis including extent of the problem, risk factors, signs, complications, diagnosis
and preventive awareness campaigns and community mobilization.