The Impact of Health Belief Model Based Educational Intervention on Women's Knowledge, Beliefs, Preventive Behaviors and Clinical Outcomes About Osteoporosis

This study was conducted to assess the impact of health belief model based educational intervention on knowledge, health beliefs, preventive behaviors, and biochemical levels of women about osteoporosis. The study was design as a populationbased and randomized experimental study by pretest and posttest design between July 2014 and July 2015. The sample (N = 1,792) of women were aged 18 to 49 years, who resided in Cubuk, Ankara, Turkey, and 75 women (n(intervention) = 45; n(control) = 30) with a high risk of osteoporosis constituted the intervention group of the study. The questionnaires on osteoporosis knowledge and health beliefs were given to the participants before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and repeated 3, 6, and 12 months. Women in the intervention group had received education and consultation, while those in the control group had not. Bone mineral density and clinical outcomes measured at the lumbar spine and femur before, immediately after the intervention, and 12 months after the intervention to measured osteo-protective performance. The average age of the women in the study was 33.49 +/- 9.8 (min = 18, max = 49) years. After the intervention, a significant increase was found in the intervention group' knowledge and health beliefs scores (p < .05). Sunlight exposure and physical activity increased (p < .05) but the levels of the bone mineral density (BMD), ionized Ca and 25 (OH) vitamin D, calcium intake, and smoking did not change after the intervention (p. > .05). This study showed that the health belief model based educational intervention had a positive effect on increasing knowledge, beliefs, and risk reduction behaviors to prevent osteoporosis.