Osteoporosis prevention among older women: A review of bone enhancement interventions

Background/Purpose: Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder and major public health problem that results in disfigurement, deformity, fractures, pain, loss of independence, depression and even death. Ten million people in the US have osteoporosis; 8 million of those are women. Approximately 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures occur each year. National health objectives outline the urgent need to reduce incidences of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the studies of osteoporosis prevention interventions. Method: PubMed was used to search using key words: osteoporosis, osteoporosis protective behaviors, osteoporosis prevention behaviors, bone mineral density, osteoporosis prevalence, risk factors, smoking, tobacco use and low bone mineral density. Analysis/Results: To prevent loss of bone in women, promotion of osteoprotective behaviors through intervention implementation is widely recommended. Education regarding risk factors was a primary strategy used in health promotion messages to increase women's awareness of risk. These interventions utilized a knowledge enhancement approach. Interventions have also included central bone density testing with feedback and education, peripheral bone scans with feedback and counseling, education classes designed based on health behavior theory, and tailored feedback based on health beliefs and behavior. Other programs used tailored messages based on computerized feedback and/or bone densitometry results. Some interventions were based on a variety of health behavior theories and/or their constructs. Many programs used a combination of strategies. Conclusions: Several interventions have been studied to help women adopt osteoprotective behaviors. Theory-based programs appear to offer promise in effectiveness regarding osteoprotective behaviors.