Abstract

Osteoporosis Knowledge and Beliefs Among Jordanian Men at Karak City

Aim: Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder in which the bones become weak, brittle, and more likely to break. This disease is excessively prevalent among women, but it may also affect the male individuals. There is a lack of studies, which have assessed men’s knowledge and beliefs in Jordan about osteoporosis. Thus, this study aims to explore the level of knowledge and health beliefs regarding osteoporosis among Jordanian men at Karak city. Method: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted after recruiting 88 men, who attended a primary healthcare centre at Karak city. Men’s knowledge of osteoporosis was assessed using two instruments; “The Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz” and the “Male Osteoporosis Knowledge Quiz”. Osteoporosis health beliefs were assessed using the “Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale”. Results: Most of the selected participants reported that they have heard about osteoporosis before. The main source of osteoporosis information was mass media (43.18%), which was followed by family members or friends (25%). The studied sample scored a mean of 9.02 out of 26 with a range of 3 to 16, reflecting 34.70% of the maximum possible score. The selected participants had a low perceived susceptibility, moderate perceived seriousness, high perceived benefits of exercise and calcium intake, low perceived barriers to calcium intake compared to moderate perceived barrier to exercise, and moderate perceived health motivation. Conclusion: Educational interventions are required to increase men’s awareness about the seriousness of osteoporosis and its impact in later life. Healthcare providers should focus more on increased awareness level about osteoporosis.

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