Nurses' knowledge and perceptions about osteoporosis: a questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about a disease provides professionals involved in its prevention and treatment with the information to make informed decisions about health practices. Gaps of knowledge regarding osteoporosis prevention and treatment have been found among different health professionals over the world, including nurses. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess a wider variety of aspects related to nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding osteoporosis. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design was used. SETTINGS: Two academic centers in the northern part of Israel. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 158 registered nurses (mean age=39+/-10.3), attending classes at two academic centers. METHODS: Data were collected using a self-administered survey. RESULTS: Nurses were positive about their role and their skills for osteoporosis management, yet subjective and objective knowledge in different aspects of the disease was moderate. The average score of knowledge regarding risk factors for osteoporosis, as assessed by the Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz (FOOQ), was 17 (SD=3) out of 24, with female nurses, nurses working in Health Maintenance Organizations-HMOs, and nurses who underwent a bone density measurement scoring higher (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses believed they have an important role in educating the public on osteoporosis prevention and management. Yet, their knowledge on different issues (e.g. signs of the disease, medication, and lifestyle issues) was only moderate. The only osteoporosis-related aspect they reported being confident about was advising on fall prevention. Measures should be taken in order to expand nurses' knowledge, such as education programs and postgraduate courses.