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Osteoporosis e-learning courses: A systematic review to develop a comprehensive virtual course for General Practitioners

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Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

One of the key strategies for effective management of osteoporosis is training health care professionals on early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis according to a structured course. The aim was to investigate the e-learning courses on osteoporosis around the world in order to develop an online course on osteoporosis management for general practitioners (GPs).

Methods

In this review, the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and ERIC databases and the Google search engine were searched until March, 2021.Then, the contents of the eligible courses were extracted by two researchers independently and verified. After that, the content for an online course for GPs was developed and approved by a panel of experts constituted of endocrinologists, orthopedists, and other specialties involved in the management of osteoporosis to develop the final online course for GPs.

Results

In this review, 22 e-learning courses provided through 3 studies, and 19 websites were included. The content of the osteoporosis e-learning course was categorized into ten thematic categories including bone health, osteoporosis definitions and pathophysiology, prevention of osteoporosis, diagnosis of osteoporosis, fractures, non-pharmacological treatments, pharmacological treatments, treatment follow-up, postmenopausal considerations and hands-on work. The final modules for the osteoporosis e-learning contained five main categories, including bone measurement and fracture risk assessment, diagnosis of osteoporosis, clinical management, monitoring and follow-up, and sarcopenia.

Conclusion

Through a systematic approach, we developed modules for e-learning of osteoporosis management, which can be used to improve knowledge and skills of GPs in their practice in our setting.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

CPD :

Continuous Professional Development

DEXA :

Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (bone scan test)

FLS :

Fracture Liaison Service

HT :

Hormone Therapy

RCGP :

Royal College of General Practitioners

VCF :

Vertebral Compression Fracture

FRAX :

Fracture Risk Assessment Tool

HRT :

Hormone replacement therapy

SERMs :

Selective estrogen receptor modulators

PTH :

Parathyroid hormone

RPTH :

Recombinant parathyroid hormone

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Elite Researcher Grant Committee (Grant. No. 958942) from the National Institute for Medical Research Development, Tehran, Iran.

Funding

This study was supported by the Elite Researcher Grant Committee (Grant. No. 958942) from the National Institute for Medical Research Development, Tehran, Iran.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Information Management, School of Paramedical Sciences, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran

    Roya Naemi

  2. Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal Al-E- Ahmad Highway, Tehran, 1411713139, Iran

    Mahnaz Sanjari, Noushin Fahimfar & Afshin Ostovar

  3. Department of E-Learning in Medical Education, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Aalaa

  4. Evidence-Based Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Rasha Atlasi

  5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mahin Nomali

  6. Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Neda Mehrdad

  7. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Bagher Larijani

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  1. Roya Naemi
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Contributions

MA, NF, AO, NM, BL participated in the concept/design, and drafting of the article. RA participated in the search, scientometric analysis, interpretation of data. RN, MA, MS participated in screening, data extraction and verification. RN prepared figures. MN participated in the conducted the review, editing of the article. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mahnaz Sanjari.

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Naemi, R., Sanjari, M., Aalaa, M. et al. Osteoporosis e-learning courses: A systematic review to develop a comprehensive virtual course for General Practitioners. J Diabetes Metab Disord (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-023-01361-8

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