Zeitschrift für Osteoporose und körperliche Aktivität
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Abstrakt

Exploration of Osteoporosis Knowledge and Perception among Young Women in Quetta, Pakistan

Noman-ul-Haq, Maria Tahir, Qaiser Iqba and Aqeel Naseem

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and a major public health problem in Pakistan. Women have been the most susceptible group of this silent disease therefore needs primary preventive steps such as health education of which one of the steps is to assess their knowledge according to which the content of their health education program is made. The study intended to investigate knowledge regarding osteoporosis among female students of university in Quetta, Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 162 female students of University of Baluchistan, Quetta. Knowledge was assessed by using a pre-validated self-administered questionnaire containing 20 disease related questions. Convenience sampling technique was used for data collection. Descriptive analysis was used to demonstrate the characteristics of the study population. Inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests, p< 0.05) were used to assess the significance among study variables.

Results: Out of 162 female students, 153 (81.5%) were single and science students 123(75.9%) with the majority of age group of less than 24 years. Mean age of the study participants was 21.91 ± 1.74 years. 134(82.7%) have not been previously diagnosed of bone related problem or osteoporosis. Mean score of knowledge was 13.01 ± 2.9. Department and living status were significantly associated with knowledge scores.

Conclusion: The study concluded that females had better understanding of the disease, osteoporosis, but they need to know about the treatment for this disease in Pakistan and it is also necessary for them to know more about some specific risk factors.