Abstract
Objectives
To assess women's perceptions of risk for osteoporosis and to identify factors that
shape those perceptions.
Methods
A community sample of 358 women (aged 40–86) rated their perceived risk of osteoporosis
and provided detailed information about factors underlying their risk perceptions.
Their open-ended responses were content analysed.
Results
On average, participants believed they were less likely to develop osteoporosis than
other women their age. In all, 63% perceived their risk as lower than other women
their age; only 16% as higher. In explaining their risk, women mentioned more risk-decreasing
factors than risk-increasing factors. Women who rated their risk as low attributed
their risk primarily to their own preventive behaviors (e.g. taking calcium, exercising),
whereas women who rated their risk as high attributed their risk primarily to their
family history. Risk-increasing and risk-decreasing personal actions, hereditary factors,
and physiological factors accounted for 53% of the variance in perceived risk for
osteoporosis. Only one-half and one-third of all women, however, mentioned calcium
consumption and exercise, respectively, as protective factors employed to reduce osteoporosis
risk. Women also held misconceptions about osteoporosis risk and protective factors.
Conclusions
The current findings yield a detailed portrait of women's risk perceptions for osteoporosis.
Increasing awareness of osteoporosis should be a priority for future osteoporosis
prevention campaigns. Interventions should address misconceptions women may hold about
their risk for the disease and promote specific behavioral strategies for osteoporosis
prevention.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 22,
2006
Received in revised form:
March 13,
2006
Received:
December 17,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
