Global computer-assisted appraisal of osteoporosis risk in Asian women: an innovative study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To develop a computer-assisted appraisal system of osteoporosis that can predict osteoporosis health risk in community-dwelling women and to use it in an empirical analysis of the risk in Asian women. BACKGROUND: As the literature indicates, health risk assessment tools are generally applied in clinical practice for patient diagnosis. However, few studies have explored how to assist community-dwelling women to understand the risk of osteoporosis without invasive data. DESIGN: A longitudinal, evidence-based study. METHOD: The first stage of this study is to establish a system that combines expertise in nursing, medicine and information technology. This part includes information from random samples (n = 700), including data on bone mineral density, osteoporosis risk factors, knowledge, beliefs and behaviour, which are used as the health risk appraisal system database. The second stage is to apply an empirical study. The relative risks of osteoporosis of the participants (n = 300) were determined with the system. The participants that were classified as at-risk were randomly grouped into experimental and control groups. Each group was treated using different nursing intervention methods. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the analytical tools was 75%. In empirical study, analysis results indicate that the prevalence of osteoporosis was 14.0%. Data indicate that strategic application of multiple nursing interventions can promote osteoporosis prevention knowledge in high-risk women and enhance the effectiveness of preventive action. CONCLUSIONS: The system can also provide people in remote areas or with insufficient medical resources a simple and effective means of managing health risk and implement the idea of self-evaluation and self-caring among community-dwelling women at home to achieve the final goal of early detection and early treatment of osteoporosis. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study developed a useful approach for providing Asia women with a reliable, valid, convenient and economical self-health management model. Health care professionals can explore the use of advanced information systems and nursing interventions to increase the effectiveness of osteoporosis prevention programmes for women.

Perception of risk factors and DXA T score among at-risk females of osteoporosis.

AIM: This paper reports a study to investigate the relationships among bone mineral density, demographics, knowledge of osteoporosis, beliefs concerning osteoporosis and preventive behaviours of at-risk females with family histories of osteoporosis. BACKGROUND: Strong evidence demonstrates that genetics is a significant determinant of peak bone mass, with a heritability of 50-90%. However, few studies have examined the bone mineral density of at-risk females with family histories of osteoporosis, particularly in an Asian population. DESIGN: Telephone survey. METHODS: The study population (n=2890) was recruited from a radiology department at a national university medical centre in northern Taiwan during 2005-2006. In total, 886 females completed a questionnaire via the telephone; the participation rate was 30·7%. RESULTS: The bone mineral density of at-risk females was close to osteopenia status (T score of -1 to -2·49). Most subjects were aware of osteoporosis-related information; however, few clearly understood osteoporosis. Furthermore, subjects reported difficult implementing strategies to improve bone mineral density. Variation in bone mineral density was correlated with self-rated health (r=0·56, p<0·05), knowledge of osteoporosis (r=0·66, p<0·05) and preventive behaviours (r=0·68, p<0·05). CONCLUSIONS: This study is to examine risk factors associated with bone mineral density of females with family histories of osteoporosis. Early identification of risk factors for osteoporosis and development of prevention programmes are required to halt the increasing in the incidence of osteoporosis and improve the bone mineral density of at-risk females. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nursing care professionals, who emphasise primary, secondary and tertiary prevention with individuals and families, should develop effective prevention strategies for women with family the history of osteoporosis to protect the health of these vulnerable populations at-risk for osteoporosis.