Knowledge and Perceptions of Prevention of Osteoporosis Among Shahr-e-kord Female Teachers

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by the red-uction of bone mass، deterioration of bo-ne structure، increasing bone fragility، and increasing fracture risk. Prevention of osteoporosis is one of the most important issues in World Health Organization. This study was conducted to assess the know-ledge، perceived susceptibility and percei-ved severity of female teachers in the pre-vention of osteoporosis in Shahr-e-kord city. This study was a descriptive and analytical one in which the population under study included 384 female teachers of Shahr-e-kord city. Relevant data was gathered by means of a standard questionnaire based on the health belief model. The obtained data was analyzed by the statistical software، SPSS 16 and the statistical tests، Pearson and Spearman correlations. Most of the people were (51%) in the 32-42 years age group، 62. 4 % were married and most of them had an educ–ational level of Bachelor''s degree. Total score of knowledge was 74. 87±28. 08، total score of perceived susceptibility was 48. 09±28. 84 and total score of perceived severity was 53. 85±28. 54. There was a significant relationship between marital status، perceived susceptibility and perce-ived severity (P<0. 05). Discussion & The results ind-icated that the teachers had an optimal knowledge toward the prevention of osteoporosis; however had a relatively acc-eptable perceived susceptibility and percei-ved severity. These results approve the nec-essity of more education regarding to increase perceived susceptibility and per-ceived severity.