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A cohort study of osteoporosis health knowledge and medication use in older adults with minimal trauma fracture

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Abstract

Summary

We measured osteoporosis knowledge in an older adult population with minimal trauma fracture. At follow-up, health literacy and osteoporosis knowledge had not changed significantly from baseline, and 14 (23 %) patients reported not taking any osteoporosis medication. Current osteoporosis care does not result in increased patient knowledge about their disease.

Introduction

We aimed to measure health literacy and osteoporosis knowledge in an older adult population with minimal trauma fracture (MTF).

Methods

A cohort study with 3-month follow-up in Australia was conducted. Participants were hospital admissions with an MTF confirmed by X-ray. Main outcomes were the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) scores. Supplementary data about osteoporosis knowledge, medication use and family practitioner visits regarding osteoporosis were obtained.

Results

Complete data are available in 60 participants. On admission, 97 % participants had high REALM scores [mean (range) 64.7 (46.66)] and low OKAT scores [8.83 (2.16)]. At follow-up, three (5 %) participants had a further fracture. REALM and OKAT scores had not changed significantly from baseline. There was no association between OKAT score at follow-up and current treatment for osteoporosis, beliefs relating to treatment or bone health, and discussion with health care worker since discharge after adjusting for Mini Mental State Examination score. Health literacy or reading ability was not related to OKAT score.

Conclusions

Osteoporosis knowledge assessed by the OKAT did not improve in the 3 months after MTF in this cohort of literate older adults, although there was some evidence of improvements in health beliefs. Current care in osteoporosis does not increase patient knowledge about their disease adequately which may impair patient effectiveness in obtaining appropriate treatment.

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Sponsor’s role

We would like to thank our sponsors, the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust for their generous financial support of this research. Our sponsors played no role in the design of the study, in participant recruitment, data collection, analysis or preparation of this paper.

Conflicts of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cabrini Institute, 183 Wattletree Rd, Malvern, Melbourne, VIC, 3144, Australia

    Michele R. Levinson, Tina Leeuwrik, John C. Oldroyd & Margaret Staples

  2. Cabrini-Monash Department of Medicine, Cabrini Institute, 183 Wattletree Rd, Malvern, Melbourne, VIC, 3144, Australia

    Michele R. Levinson

  3. Monash Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Cabrini Hospital, 183 Wattletree Rd, Malvern, Melbourne, VIC, 3144, Australia

    Margaret Staples

Authors
  1. Michele R. Levinson
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  2. Tina Leeuwrik
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  3. John C. Oldroyd
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  4. Margaret Staples
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michele R. Levinson.

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Levinson, M.R., Leeuwrik, T., Oldroyd, J.C. et al. A cohort study of osteoporosis health knowledge and medication use in older adults with minimal trauma fracture. Arch Osteoporos 7, 87–92 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-012-0084-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-012-0084-1

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