Table 1.
Frequency of participants’ responses to knowledge, attitude and practice questions
| Answers [n (%)] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge questions (correct answers) | Correct | Incorrect | Don’t know | ||
| OP is the most common metabolic bone disease. (yes) | 355 (67.4) | 53 (10.1) | 119 (22.6) | ||
| WHO criteria define a T-score equal or less than –2.5 SD as OP. (yes) | 293 (55.6) | 155 (29.4) | 79 (15.0) | ||
| WHO criteria define a T-score of –1 to –2.5 SD as osteopenia. (yes) | 311 (59.0) | 142 (26.9) | 74 (14.0) | ||
| The process of bone loss starts around 40 years of age in both sexes. (yes) | 372 (70.6) | 126 (23.9) | 29 (5.5) | ||
| Cigarette smoking and alcohol use are major risk factor of OP. (yes) | 207 (39.3) | 275 (52.2) | 45 (8.5) | ||
| Body weight more than 57 kg is a minor risk factor of OP. (no) | 332 (63.0) | 158 (30.0) | 37 (7.0) | ||
| Corticosteroid therapy for more than three months is a major risk factor for OP. (yes) | 408 (77.4) | 92 (17.5) | 27 (5.1) | ||
| OP remains asymptomatic until a fracture occurs. (yes) | 244 (46.3) | 254 (48.2) | 29 (5.5) | ||
| DXA is the current ‘gold standard’ for OP diagnosis. (yes) | 257 (48.8) | 177 (33.6) | 93 (17.6) | ||
| A plain X-ray is the current ‘gold standard’ for fracture risk prediction. (no) | 213 (40.4) | 99 (18.8) | 215 (40.8) | ||
| Bisphosphonates are the first-line choice of OP treatment in both sexes.(yes) | 285 (54.1) | 208 (39.5) | 34 (6.5) | ||
| Bisphosphonates are the first-line choice of OP prevention. (yes) | 180 (34.2) | 271 (51.4) | 76 (14.4) | ||
| Calcium carbonate 500 mg provides 200 mg elemental calcium. (yes) | 179 (34.0) | 263 (49.9) | 85 (16.1) | ||
| Calcium carbonate 1250 mg provides 200 mg of elemental calcium. (no) | 207 (39.3) | 98 (18.6) | 222 (42.1) | ||
| Vitamin D administration. (one or two Perl 50 000 unit/month/year). (yes) | 386 (73.2) | 89 (16.9) | 52 (9.9) | ||
| Attitude questions | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Neutral | Agree | Strongly agree |
| There are several strategies for OP prevention | 57 (10.8) | 138 (26.2) | 40 (7.6) | 238 (45.2) | 54 (10.2) |
| Patient education had a critical role in disease prevention | 6 (1.1) | 17 (3.2) | 43 (8.2) | 184 (34.9) | 277 (52.6) |
| OP patients should be followed about risk of fracture and complications | 7 (1.3) | 4 (0.8) | 23 (4.4) | 144 (27.3) | 349 (66.2) |
| Practice questions (correct answers) | Correct | Incorrect | |||
| Refer patients with acute back pain after coughing, sneezing, or sudden movement. (yes) | 280 (53.1) | 247 (46.9) | |||
| Refer patients with neck lordosis, back kyphosis and height-shortening. (yes) | 368 (69.8) | 159 (30.2) | |||
| Refer patients with chronic back pain that worsens when they are standing. (yes) | 359 (68.1) | 168 (31.9) | |||
| Referral is the first action for patients aged over 65 and suspected to suffer from OP. (yes) | 355 (67.4) | 172 (32.6) | |||
| Advising exercise, good nutrition and a sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D is the first action for patients aged over 50 with normal bone mineral density. (yes) | 438 (83.1) | 89 (16.9) | |||
| For patients over 50 with normal bone mineral density, evaluation with BMD test every three to five years is necessary. (yes) | 277 (52.6) | 250 (47.6) | |||
OP=osteoporosis; DXA=dual X-ray absorptiometry; SD=standard deviation; BMD=bone mineral density.