Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among Thai women.  Although new therapeutic modalities have increased survival rate for patients, the wider use of adjuvant chemotherapy and antiestrogens is a common long-term side effect causing bone loss.  The aim of this survey study has therefore been to examine knowledge, preventive behavior, and risk of osteoporosis on breast cancer survivors.  A sample group of 95 breast cancer patients (age between 34 and 67 years; mean age = 51.31; SD = 7.3) from the New Life Club, a self-help group, for breast cancer patients at the Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University was recruited to participate in the study.  Tools used in the study included: the Osteoporosis Knowledge Test consisting of 24 questions, and the Osteoporosis Preventive Behavior Questionnaire consisting of 10 questions; of which there were multiple-choice questions requiring a correct response.  Additionally, the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool where risk is defined by 0.2 x (body weight – age) was employed to investigate risk of osteoporosis. Results indicate that breast cancer survivors have had moderate knowledge about osteoporosis.  With the regard to osteoporosis preventive behavior, there were 64.5% of participants who did osteoporosis preventive behavior.  For the risk of osteoporosis, there were 32.3% of participants who had moderate risk of osteoporosis.  This result suggests that further study needs to emphasize what interventions increase osteoporosis knowledge as well as promote osteoporosis preventive behavior among breast cancer survivors.  Additionally, bone mass should be monitored for evaluating the risk of osteoporotic fractures in this population.