Journal Review: Osteoporosis
I reviewed the article “Osteoporosis Knowledge and Information Needs in Healthcare Professionals Caring for Patients With Fragility Fractures” by L. Giangregorio, Pauline Fisher, A. Papaioannou and J.D. Adachi. It is about a study that was conducted in a hospital in Ontario, Canada, which evaluated the knowledge of healthcare professionals who often worked with patients who have osteoporosis and/or fractures. The authors of the study wanted to improve how healthcare workers managed patients with osteoporosis. According to Giangregorio, L., Fisher, P., Papaioannou, A., & Adachi, J., “osteoporosis has been defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength, predisposing a person to an increase risk of fracture.” (Giangregorio, L., Fisher, P., Papaioannou, A., & Adachi, J. 2007). A patient who lives with osteoporosis is often concerned about limited mobility, pain, costs for treating a fracture and the increased mortality rate that accompanies a fracture. If a staff that is vastly informed about this condition treats the patient, the rate of fractures can be drastically decreased.
To conduct the study, healthcare professionals were given a questionnaire with four sections. The first section was demographic questions: statistics of the human population. The second section questioned the individual’s knowledge of osteoporosis: causes, risk factors, symptoms, prevention and treatment. The third section of the questionnaire was directed towards how the individual learned about osteoporosis. Was the information taught through books, pamphlets, newsletters, articles, websites, presentations at work/outside of work, etc., and what source was the most informative to the healthcare provider. The final section was a Calcium Calculator. Foods containing calcium and their portion sizes were listed and the individuals were asked to indicate which foods they had eaten the day before. Then that individual’s calcium intake was calculated.
Here is a sample of questions asked:
The majority of the 179 employees that were surveyed were women. More than 90% knew: the definition of osteoporosis, that dairy products are the best source of calcium and that treatment is available to help prevent bone loss. However, over 25% of the individuals surveyed answered “I don’t know” to questions that asked: the recommended daily intake of calcium, the best way to take calcium, medications that are used to treat osteoporosis and the prevalence of osteoporosis. The results of the Calcium Calculator showed the average intake of calcium was 711 mg. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the recommended intake for an individual over the age of 13 is 1,300mg per day (Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet-Calcium, 2012).
Almost half of the participants preferred learning about osteoporosis from pamphlets (42.6%) and presentations at work (45.0%).
The study also revealed that 40% of the healthcare workers had a family history of osteoporosis and 14% had a family history of hip-fractures.
In the end, the study showed that more than 70% of participants had a considerable amount of knowledge about osteoporosis. Even though that is a sizeable number, it still leaves 30% of the healthcare workers surveyed that could possibly place a patient with osteoporosis at risk. These individuals would benefit from more education about the condition itself and what can be done to reduce the patient’s risk for a fracture.
References:
Giangregorio, L., Fisher, P., Papaioannou, A., & Adachi, J. (2007). Osteoporosis knowledge and information needs in healthcare professionals caring for patients with fragility fractures. Orthopaedic Nursing, 26(1), 27-35.
Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health (August 1, 2012). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet-Calcium. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
Personal Reflection:
I chose this condition because I do not know much about osteoporosis. I only know the basics like: the risk of fractures increase, bone is less dense, dairy products are the best source of dietary calcium and that it generally effects older women. After reviewing the questionnaire that was given to the healthcare providers in the study, I noticed I was with part of the 30% of individuals who could possibly put patients with osteoporosis at risk for a fracture. As a dental hygiene student, I will have patients in my chair one day that have osteoporosis and I do not want to cause harm to them. The best way for me to decrease the risk of injury is to learn more about the condition.
Additional Information:
Office of Dietary Supplements has a great chart that shows how much calcium is in popular foods.
Visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation for more information
*Picture from Google Images
To conduct the study, healthcare professionals were given a questionnaire with four sections. The first section was demographic questions: statistics of the human population. The second section questioned the individual’s knowledge of osteoporosis: causes, risk factors, symptoms, prevention and treatment. The third section of the questionnaire was directed towards how the individual learned about osteoporosis. Was the information taught through books, pamphlets, newsletters, articles, websites, presentations at work/outside of work, etc., and what source was the most informative to the healthcare provider. The final section was a Calcium Calculator. Foods containing calcium and their portion sizes were listed and the individuals were asked to indicate which foods they had eaten the day before. Then that individual’s calcium intake was calculated.
Here is a sample of questions asked:
- Women begin to loss bone mass at what age? In their 30’s
- The most serious fracture caused by osteoporosis that can be life threatening is: Hip-fracture
- It is best to take calcium supplements: In divided doses with meals
- Which of the following is the best source of dietary calcium? Dairy products
The majority of the 179 employees that were surveyed were women. More than 90% knew: the definition of osteoporosis, that dairy products are the best source of calcium and that treatment is available to help prevent bone loss. However, over 25% of the individuals surveyed answered “I don’t know” to questions that asked: the recommended daily intake of calcium, the best way to take calcium, medications that are used to treat osteoporosis and the prevalence of osteoporosis. The results of the Calcium Calculator showed the average intake of calcium was 711 mg. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the recommended intake for an individual over the age of 13 is 1,300mg per day (Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet-Calcium, 2012).
Almost half of the participants preferred learning about osteoporosis from pamphlets (42.6%) and presentations at work (45.0%).
The study also revealed that 40% of the healthcare workers had a family history of osteoporosis and 14% had a family history of hip-fractures.
In the end, the study showed that more than 70% of participants had a considerable amount of knowledge about osteoporosis. Even though that is a sizeable number, it still leaves 30% of the healthcare workers surveyed that could possibly place a patient with osteoporosis at risk. These individuals would benefit from more education about the condition itself and what can be done to reduce the patient’s risk for a fracture.
References:
Giangregorio, L., Fisher, P., Papaioannou, A., & Adachi, J. (2007). Osteoporosis knowledge and information needs in healthcare professionals caring for patients with fragility fractures. Orthopaedic Nursing, 26(1), 27-35.
Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health (August 1, 2012). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet-Calcium. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
Personal Reflection:
I chose this condition because I do not know much about osteoporosis. I only know the basics like: the risk of fractures increase, bone is less dense, dairy products are the best source of dietary calcium and that it generally effects older women. After reviewing the questionnaire that was given to the healthcare providers in the study, I noticed I was with part of the 30% of individuals who could possibly put patients with osteoporosis at risk for a fracture. As a dental hygiene student, I will have patients in my chair one day that have osteoporosis and I do not want to cause harm to them. The best way for me to decrease the risk of injury is to learn more about the condition.
Additional Information:
Office of Dietary Supplements has a great chart that shows how much calcium is in popular foods.
Visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation for more information
*Picture from Google Images