Learning Objective #1: Understand the impact of knowledge, beliefs, and health-related behavior on BMD

Learning Objective #2: Understand the major predictive factors that influence the BMD in women

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Epidemiological studies that involve Asian women have revealed that their bone mineral density (BMD) is lower than that of European and American women. Few studies have simultaneously investigated the cognition, beliefs and behavior that affect BMD. The first aim of this study was to elucidate the relationships between demographics, knowledge of osteoporosis, health beliefs about osteoporosis, health-related behavior and BMD. The secondary goal was to explore the major predictive factors that affect the BMD of women. This was an exploratory, community-based, cross-sectional study. Participants ( N = 398) completed the osteoporosis related questionnaire and were invited to undergo BMD examinations using quantitative ultrasound (QUS). Overall, 73.4% of the participants had heard of the disease but the proportion of correct responses to the questions that tested knowledge of osteoporosis was only 44.0%. The investigation into osteoporosis-related beliefs revealed that women held quite accurate beliefs regarding the prevention of osteoporosis, but only 23.6% of them had undergone a BMD examination. An adjusted odds ratio indicated that if women had normal BMD then they were 1.57 times (95% CI: 1.08 ~ 2.29), 1.10 times (95% CI: 1.00 ~ 1.12) and 2.74 (95% CI: 1.09 ~ 6.86) times than their counterparts, respectively. The results revealed that women with normal BMD were more likely to have positively self-rated health, knowledge of osteoporosis and preventive behavior than their counterparts. The findings indicated that BMD was subjectively determined by a combination of cognitive and behavioral factors. Early detection was the key to preventing osteoporosis.