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Men, Young Adults tend to downplay Osteoporosis Risk
Newswise — Young adults and
men do not see themselves as susceptible to
osteoporosis, according to a new study. In
their minds, the risk of suffering from what
many consider an older woman’s disease seems
distant or slim. The problem: They are
missing preventive measures that if taken
now, could decrease their future danger of
developing the disease.
In the study of 300 Canadian
men and women, researchers found significant
age and gender differences in how people
perceived their susceptibility to
osteoporosis. Specifically, middle-aged and
older women scored significantly higher than
younger participants and men, suggesting
that older women believe they are at greater
risk.
“The low scores among younger
people raise concerns for the approaching
epidemic,” said Shanthi Johnson, Ph.D., lead
study author and a professor at University
of Regina. “Given the aging population and
the growing percentage of older women within
that population, osteoporosis should receive
more recognition.”
The study appears in the
October issue of the journal Health
Education & Behavior.
According to Osteoporosis
Canada, the disease is a debilitating one
that weakens bones and increases the risk of
fractures. Twenty percent of those who
experience osteoporosis-based hip fractures
die; another 50 percent suffer permanent
disabilities.
While the disease does strike
twice as many older women as it does men,
men are also susceptible to osteoporosis.
Because people can change their habits to
lower their risk, researchers are looking at
people’s beliefs in order to develop and
target prevention programs to the particular
needs of each demographic.
The best defense against the
disease is building strong bones in
childhood and young adulthood. Anybody can
reduce their risk, however, by eating a
well-balanced diet that is high in calcium
and vitamin D and by participating in
weight-bearing exercises or sports.
In the study, motivation to
take preventive action and the perceived
seriousness of the disease were similar
across all age and gender groups — low —
suggesting that people are not aware of the
serious consequences of osteoporosis and
that younger men and women are unlikely to
change their behavior unless they change
their beliefs.
Karen Chapman-Novakofski,
Ph.D., at the University of Illinois at
Champaign-Urbana, is encouraged that the
susceptibility scores in Johnson’s study
show some progress in awareness. “Years
ago,” she said, “we found that younger women
thought older women should know more about
the condition and that older women thought
it was too late for them, and that younger
women should know more.”
Health Education & Behavior,
a peer-reviewed journal of the Society for
Public Health Education (SOPHE), publishes
research on critical health issues for
professionals in the implementation and
administration of public health information
programs. For information, contact Elaine
Auld at (202) 408-9804.
Johnson CS, et al.
Osteoporosis health beliefs among younger
and older men and women. Health Education
& Behavior 34(5), 2008.
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