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. 2021 Feb;28(1):91-98.
doi: 10.11005/jbm.2021.28.1.91. Epub 2021 Feb 28.

Knowledge and Beliefs on Osteoporosis among African Postmenopausal Women in a Kenyan Semi-Rural County of Kiambu

Fred Chuma Sitati  1 , Madadi Moses Obimbo  2 , Peter Gichangi  3
Affiliations

Knowledge and Beliefs on Osteoporosis among African Postmenopausal Women in a Kenyan Semi-Rural County of Kiambu

Fred Chuma Sitati et al. J Bone Metab. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Assessing people's knowledge and beliefs about osteoporosis is fundamental to the formulation of preventive strategies for this condition. To our knowledge, no randomized community survey has been conducted using Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz (FOOQ) and Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale (OHBS) exclusively in the postmenopausal women in Kenya. This study aimed to assess postmenopausal women's knowledge and beliefs concerning osteoporosis in semirural Kiambu County, Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving face-to-face interviews with 254 African postmenopausal women was conducted between October 2017 and February 2018. The questionnaire explored the socio-demographic characteristics; FOOQ was used to evaluate the knowledge these women had about osteoporosis, while OHBS was used to assess their beliefs.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 64.6±10.7 years. About 26.4% (67/254) of the participants had no formal education, while 3.1% (8/254) were in formal employment. About 54.3% (138/254) of the women were married, and 51.2% (130/254) were in the lowest and lower wealth quintile. FOOQ had a mean score of 8.6 (standard deviation±1.8; range, 0-17). OHBS revealed a low level of perceived susceptibility to osteoporosis. Perceived benefits of exercising and calcium intake as well as perceived seriousness of osteoporosis as a disease were at moderate levels. The level of health motivation was also moderate.

Conclusions: The women in this study demonstrated limited knowledge about osteoporosis. The low susceptibility score makes the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in this population challenging. We recommend public health education for all postmenopausal women in this setting.

Keywords: Culture; Kenya ·Knowledge; Osteoporosis; Postmenopause.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

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Fig. 1
Flow chart showing the sampling method.
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