An assessment of patients’ knowledge of osteoporosis in Qatar: A pilot study

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones. It leads to increased risk of fractures as a result of decreased bone mineral density. The goal of this study was to assess the general perception of osteoporosis as well as knowledge of lifestyle, risk factors, and preventive measures among patients in Qatar. The study was conducted between September 2013 and September 2014. The study subjects (n = 93) were patients diagnosed with osteoporosis who attended the Outpatient Rheumatology Clinic at Hamad General Hospital in Doha, Qatar. The results showed that those with a university or graduate degree had a significantly higher level of knowledge about osteoporosis (p = 0.009) than those with less education. Among those in our study, knowledge related to osteoporosis was principally obtained through media sources such as television and radio (39%). In conclusion, osteoporosis patients in Qatar need a better understanding of the disease. Identifying thought patterns related to the perception of osteoporosis and treatment might assist in building a foundation for management modalities and effective preventive strategies for the disease in Qatar.

Evaluation of knowledge about osteoporosis risk factors among adults above 40 years of age in Hafar Al-Batin Region, Saudi Arabia

“…Osteoporosis is well-known to increase susceptibility to fractures and leads to more than 8.9 million fractures worldwide annually. [ 10 ] In this analysis, three-quarters of the respondents appreciated the relationship between osteoporosis and fractures. Similar percentages were reported in a study from southern India.…”

“…[ 8 9 ] Despite these facts, several authors investigated the knowledge of osteoporosis and its risk in different countries and highlighted a lack of knowledge among the public and even medically-oriented populations. [ 10 11 12 13 14 ]…”

Knowledge Level of Pre- and Post Menopausal Women on Osteoporosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

“…In this self-selected population, women, the better educated, and those earning higher incomes were more aware of Osteoporosis. [9]  Thus, we recommend that media outlets should be used to deliver disease specific information such as healthy lifestyle advertisements on television talks on radio, distribution of pamphlets, have shown such to be effective.…”

Perception and awareness of osteoporosis and its related risk factors among women: A cross-sectional study

“…Medical websites were the main source of information about osteoporosis among the participants, followed by social media and healthcare providers. While in Qatar, media sources such as television and radio were the primary sources of information (39 %) were the primary sources of information [30]. Regarding the understanding of the prevalence of osteoporosis, which is estimated to affect 200 million women every year [31], 75% of the participants believed in the high prevalence of osteoporosis worldwide.…”