The Relationship of Knowledge of Osteoporosis and Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women in Silesia Osteo Active Study

The Silesia Osteo Active Study was designed to assess osteoporosis-related knowledge and its relationships with skeletal status in an epidemiological population-based program. Participants were chosen randomly from postmenopausal women over 55 yr. The study group consisted of 388 patients (mean age 65 ± 7). All participants fulfilled medical and socioeconomic questionnaires and test concerning osteoporosis-related knowledge. They underwent proximal femur and lumbar spine densitometry. The mean level of osteoporosis knowledge was 7.3 ± 2.0 for 10 questions. Osteoporosis knowledge seems to have no influence on densitometry results in the population; nevertheless it improves femoral neck (FN) density in those without prior personal experience of osteoporosis (r = 0.15; p < 0.05). Higher knowledge of osteoporosis was connected with osteoporosis in family, hormone replacement therapy or smoking history, and higher educational degree. The level of knowledge was significantly better in younger than in older participants (7.4 vs 6.7; p < 0.01). Osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5) was established in 6.4%, 2%, and 33% for FN, total hip, and spine, respectively. As a conclusion, current study revealed a positive influence of the knowledge of osteoporosis on FN density in postmenopausal women without prior personal experience of the disease.