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Psychometric properties of the “Osteoporosis and You” questionnaire: osteoporosis knowledge deficits among older community-dwelling women

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Abstract

Summary

In older women, knowledge about risk factors for osteoporosis was good, with over 75% responding correctly to questions about lifestyle factors, family history, height loss, and menopausal status. However, significant knowledge deficits were identified regarding osteoporosis “consequences” and “prevention and treatment.”

Introduction

We examined osteoporosis knowledge by testing the psychometric properties of the 10-item knowledge component of the “Osteoporosis and You” questionnaire. Several knowledge domains were hypothesized.

Methods

Community-dwelling women aged 65–90 years residing within two regions of Ontario, Canada were studied (N = 869). Data were collected by standardized telephone interviews in 2003 and 2004. Items to which 75% or more responded correctly were identified as having a low index of difficulty; the remaining items identified areas of knowledge deficit. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test scale structure.

Results

Six of the ten items had a low index of difficulty. These items largely examined osteoporosis risk factors. The remaining four items identified significant knowledge deficits in the areas of osteoporosis consequences, prevention, and treatment. Confirmatory factor analysis identified four distinct osteoporosis knowledge domains. However, the internal consistency was low for all but one domain, which examined “prevention and treatment.”

Conclusion

Although older women appear to be aware of osteoporosis risk factors, knowledge deficits regarding the consequences of osteoporosis and that treatment exists to prevent bone loss were identified. Better understanding of the multi-dimensional aspects of osteoporosis knowledge may help to inform the development of effective educational interventions.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Cadarette was supported by a Doctoral Research Award from CIHR in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, a Naomi Grigg Fellowship for Post-Graduate Studies in Gerontology from the Soroptimist International of Toronto, and as an Ontario Women’s Health Doctoral Scholar, and is currently a CIHR Post-Doctoral Fellow. Dr. Beaton is a CIHR New Investigator, Dr. Jaglal is the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Chair at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Hawker is the FM Hill Chair in Academic Women’s Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Osteoporosis Research Program, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    S. M. Cadarette, S. B. Jaglal & G. A. Hawker

  2. Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    S. M. Cadarette, D. E. Beaton, S. B. Jaglal & G. A. Hawker

  3. Division of Outcomes and Population Health, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

    M. A. M. Gignac

  4. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    M. A. M. Gignac & S. B. Jaglal

  5. Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    M. A. M. Gignac & D. E. Beaton

  6. Mobility Program Clinical Research Unit, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    D. E. Beaton

  7. Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    S. B. Jaglal

  8. Division of Rheumatology, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    G. A. Hawker

  9. Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 1620 Tremont Street, Suite 3030, Boston, MA, 02120, USA

    S. M. Cadarette

Authors
  1. S. M. Cadarette
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  2. M. A. M. Gignac
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  3. D. E. Beaton
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  4. S. B. Jaglal
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  5. G. A. Hawker
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. M. Cadarette.

Glossary

Domain

An underlying trait (latent variable, hypothetical construct or attribute) that cannot be measure directly, but can be inferred from multiple items supposedly based upon it

Factor

Domain in reference to factor analysis (statistical method employed to determine scale structure), indicating items that are grouped together based on a similar distribution of responses

Item

A single question aiming to tap into an aspect of an underlying domain

Scale

Multi-item questionnaire designed to measure at least one domain.

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Cadarette, S.M., Gignac, M.A.M., Beaton, D.E. et al. Psychometric properties of the “Osteoporosis and You” questionnaire: osteoporosis knowledge deficits among older community-dwelling women. Osteoporos Int 18, 981–989 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-007-0326-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-007-0326-z

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