Evaluation of osteoporosis preventive factors in menopausal women referred to the health care centers of Ilam University of Medical Sciences in 2004

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease that cause bone fracture. Menopause is the most important risk factors for osteoporosis. This disease is prevalent in menopausal women (50%) because of estrogen deficiency and less bone mass in menopausal period. The aim of this study was to determine the osteoporosis preventive factors in menopausal women referred to the health care centers of Ilam University of Medical Sciences. This research was an analytical-deh1ive study in witch 150 menopausal women were selected by random sampling method as population of the study. The data were collected by interview observation and physical examinations using specific questionnaires and check lists. The data were analyzed by Chi-square and Fisher tests using SPSS software. The result of this study showed that %90 of the samples did not exercise %92.7 have not consumed enough calcium and just %45.3 of the samples used to exposed in sunlight. These women also suffered from joint pain (%76.7) back pain (%47.3) and muscular weakness (%42.7). In addition our results showed that age (P