Learning Objective #1: The learner will be able to identify men's attitudes toward the development of osteoporosis and their current behaviors to maintain bone health.

Learning Objective #2: The learners will be able to identify strategies aimed at helping men increase awareness of osteoporosis and promote behaviors to maintain bone health.

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Although women and men can have osteoporosis, the risk in men is unrecognized and may remain untreated for years. Most physicians and the general public believe that osteoprosis is a problem of women and this may deter prevention, early detection, and treatment. Hip fractures are common in older men and are associated with greater complications than in women. Men who survive hip fractures are placed in nursing homes and are more likely to die of complications than women. The health belief model is the framework for the study. The purposes of this study are to (1) describe men's attitudes toward osteoprosis, specifically perceptions of susceptibility to develop the disease and perceptions of its seriousness and (2) examine osteoporosis-related behaviors. Osteoporosis-related behaviors examined are calcium intake from dietary and supplemental sources, alcohol consumption, exercise, and cigarette smoking. The relationship between attitudes and the behaviors will be examined. Als, personal and demographic characteristics such as family history of osteoporosis and the use of cortisone, chemotherapy, hormones, and anticonvulsants will be examined with the behaviors and with the attiudes.