Risk factors associated with low bone mineral density among women aged 40 years and above

Osteoporosis is a devastating disease that is increasing in prevalence as our population ages. Knowledge of the risk factors and early diagnosis of the disease can prevent and reduce disease complications, especially fractures. This study was designed to estimate the risk factors for low bone mineral density [BMD]; [osteopenia or osteoporosis] among women aged >/= 40 years. the study included one hundred and forty four [144] women aged >/= 40 years who met the inclusion criteria of the study. All participants were selected from the outpatient clinic of physiotherapy and rehabilitative medicine, Tanta University hospital. They completed a questionnaire on socio-demographic, reproductive and life-style risk factors for low [BMD]. Anthropometric measurements were undertaken and bone mineral density was measured by the ultra-sonography at the heel, and was expressed in T-score in this study the frequency of low bone mineral density [BMD] was 58.30 [36.15% were osteopenia and 22.2% osteoporosis]. Most of women with low BMD were of low educational level and housewives. The differences were statistically significant. Physical activities were more frequent among women with normal BMI] than those with low BMD but walking space was the only statistically significant. There was a negative correlation between bone mineral density versus advancing in age and increased postmenopausal years. There was a positive correlation between bone mineral density versus weight, body mass index, triceps skin fold and calcium intake. Body mass index for normal BMD women [30.17 +/- 2.50] was higher compared to that for osteopenic and osteoporotic women [29.04 +/- 2.85 and 27.07 +/- 1.32 respectively] the frequency of low bone mineral density [BMD] was 58 30 [36.15% were o'steopenia and 22.2% osteoporosis]. Risk factors associated with low bone mineral density were: low educational level, nonwor king [house wife], advanced age, low body mass index, low triceps skin fold, less physical activity and low calcium intake. The study recommended improving the educational level of women and application of health education programs about the risk factors for osteoporosis, especially those which can be modified such as the nutritional status, calcium intake and physical activity

Risk factors associated with low bone mineral density among women aged 40 years and above

Osteoporosis is a devastating disease that is increasing in prevalence as our population ages. Knowledge of the risk factors and early diagnosis of the disease can prevent and reduce disease complications, especially fractures. This study was designed to estimate the risk factors for low bone mineral density [BMD]; [osteopenia or osteoporosis] among women aged>/=40 years. A cross sectional study included one hundred and forty four [144] women aged>/=40 years who met the inclusion criteria of the study [purposive sample]. All participants were selected from the outpatient clinic of physiotherapy and rehabilitative medicine, Tanta University hospital. They completed a questionnaire on socio-demographic, reproductive and life-style risk factors for low [BMD]. Anthropometric measurements were undertaken and bone mineral density was measured by the ultra-sonography at the heel, and was expressed in T-score. In this study the frequency of low bone mineral density [BMD] was 58.30 [36.15% were osteopenia and 22.2% osteoporosis]. Most of women with low BMD were of low educational level and housewives. The differences were statistically significant. Physical activities were more frequent among women with normal BMD than those with low BMD but walking space was the only statistically significant. There was a negative correlation between bone mineral density versus advancing in age and increased postmenopausal years. There was a positive correlation between bone mineral density versus weight, body mass index, triceps skin fold and calcium intake. Mean age of normal BMD women [48.80 +/- 5.36] was lower compared to that for osteopenic and osteoporotic women [55.69 +/- 8.89 and 58.75 +/- 3.39 respectively]. Body mass index for normal BMD women [30.17 +/- 2.50] was higher compared to that for osteopenic and osteoporotic women [29.04 +/- 2.85 and 27.07 +/- 1.32 respectively]. The frequency of low bone mineral density [BMD] was 58.30 [36.15% were osteopenia and 22.2% osteoporosis]. Risk factors and determinants associated with low bone mineral density were: low educational level, nonworking [house wife], advanced age, low body mass index, low triceps skin fold, less physical activity and low calcium intake. The study recommended improving the educational level of women and application of health education programs about the risk factors for osteoporosis, especially those which can be modified such as the nutritional status, calcium intake and physical activity

Associaton of visual impairment and depression among elderly population in Tanta

Researches documented that elderly patients with heterogeneous eye diseases ended with low vision, reported high levels of depression. This work aimed at studying the association between visual impairment in the elderly and depression; also, to determine other risk factors for depression among them. Subject and methods: This study was conducted in the Ophthalmology outpatient clinic of Tanta University Hospital for Ophthalinology; for a period of two months. The study included 217 elderly aged above 60 years attending the clinic. One hundred and seventeen [117] of them were elderly cases with visual impairment [low vision] and one hundred [100] were control [with no visual impairment]. Data collected were socio-demographic, chronic morbidities, medication use, teeth problems, and limitation in activities of daily living. The study assessed depression status among the elderly according to the Geriatric depression Scale [GDSJ. The result of the study showed that [53.8%] of the cases with impaired vision were depressed compared to 20% for the control group. The frequency of depression among all participants in this study [with and without impaired vision] was 38.25%. The most significant risk factors for depression in univariate analysis were; advance in age, urban residency, co-morbidities, dependency in activities of daily living and lack of exercise. While the independent risk factors [according to a multiple logistic regression model] were; having low vision, being older than 70 years, living in urban community. There was an association between visual impairment and depression. Visually impaired persons had high prevalence of depression than control group. Advance in age, impaired vision, co-morbidities, dependency in daily life activities, urban residency and lack of exercise were associated risk for depression The study recommended the use of specific rehabilitation programs for elderly with visual impairment to avoid depression, including psychotherapy and the use of recent low vision aids that may help the poor sighted elderly to overcome and improve their vision. Conducting large scale study [community based] among elders

Effect of health education program intervention on women's perception about menopause and their intention to use hormone replacement therapy

Menopause affects women's health and well being; so, hormone replacement therapy [HRT] could benefit women who have reached natural menopause, surgical menopause or have a family history of osteoporosis. It was found that women's attitude towards menopause and their knowledge of the benefits and risks of HRT have a direct effect on their use of it. This work aimed at studying the knowledge and perception of women towards menopause and HRT as a management for it, and some determinants affecting knowledge and attitude. Also, it aimed at intervening with a health education program concerning menopause and HRT, studying its effect on knowledge and attitude. It is a non-experimental pretest-post test design used. The study was conducted during the year 2003 from 1st of March to end of July. It included 174 women aged from 28-60 years working at Tanta University Administration. At first all women received:-[1] a questionnaire sheets which included some personal data plus a pre-test questionnaire of the knowledge and attitude about menopause and HRT; [2] a brief booklet about the issues of menopause and HRT, needed for health education. Second, health education settings were applied for all the studied sample regarding the topics in the booklet then the post test questionnaire was filled after one month. About one third of the women included had a good [satisfactory] knowledge towards menopause [31.03%] and more than half had a positive attitude [52.87%]. No one in the sample utilized HRT. More than two thirds of the sample showed a poor knowledge of HRT [68.97%] while, more than one third had a positive attitude to HRT utilization. Both of the knowledge and attitude to menopause and HRT were affected by many variables such as older age, severe menopausal symptoms, previous or current use of contraceptive hormones, but with different variations. Health education improved significantly knowledge about menopause and HRT and improved the attitude particularly towards menopause. Doctors ranked 1st as the source of knowledge to HRT [62.11%] while friends and relatives ranked 1st as regards menopause [50.38%]. This study recommended a more scientific orientation about menopause among women for better understanding about HRT, also education and training of both physicians and nurses on different issues about menopause and HRT

Nutritional status: an important determinant for the quality of life [QOI] among the elderly

The relationships between nutrition, aging, and quality of life [QOL] are inter-related. This work aimed at studying the relationship between the nutritional status and QOL in the elderly; also, the association between comorbidities, socio-demography, life style, and their QOL. The study was conducted during the year 2004 from April to June, in a village at Gharbia Governorate. It included 303 elderly with a mean age of 67.15 +/- 7.54. Data were collected using a questionnaire sheet that included [1] socio-demographic and life style factors, [2] assessment and grading of the nutritional status using the [MNA] Mini-Nutritional Assessment form, and [3] measuring the QOL using [MOS] Medical Outcome Study 36-item short form [SF-36]. The study showed that 12.87% of the elderly were malnourished and 19.8% were of poor QOL. Poor nutritional status was significantly associated with low score of QOL [X4[2]=64.27] and with most of the dimensions of the QOL form such as physical functioning and mental health status [X2[2]= 64.73 and X2[2]=40.03, respectively]. Factors that affected food intake such as lack of appetite, GIT problems, and teeth problems were significantly affecting the QOL among the studied sample. The more the number of chronic diseases among the elderly, the lower was the score of QOL [R[s] =-0.6, P<0.05]. Poor QOL associated significantly with advanced age [40.23%], with male sex [29.17%], widowhood [36.36%], living alone [42.11%], and with restricted mobility [29.84%]. The study recommended the use of QOL measures before and after nutritional programs interventions among the elderly as screening tools for improving management of the nutritional status