Citation

Nguyen NV, Dinh TA, Ngo QV, Tran VD, Breitkopf CR. Asia Pac. J. Public Health 2011; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

University of Texas, Galveston, TX, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1010539511423569

PMID

22087035

Abstract

PURPOSE: Vietnamese women are at particular risk of osteoporosis and its complications. This study examined osteoporosis knowledge and awareness among Vietnamese women who have accessed health care. METHODS: A sample of 217 women, 13 to 76 years of age, who were attending 1 of 2 health care facilities in Da Nang, Vietnam, between November and December 2009 completed a questionnaire assessing their awareness of osteoporosis and measuring their knowledge using a 30-item instrument reflecting 9 knowledge domains (eg, risk factors, diagnosis, prognosis). RESULTS: A majority (81.6%) of the women had heard of osteoporosis. Awareness was associated with education, working in health care, and having a family member with osteoporosis. On average, Vietnamese women answered 49% of the knowledge questions correctly; scores ranged from 0 to 26 questions correct out of 30 (mean = 14.71 ± 5.2, median = 15). Mean knowledge scores were higher among those reporting a family member with osteoporosis, nurses (vs other vocations), and women with a high school education or greater (relative to those who had not completed high school). More than 90% of the women expressed interest in a prevention and treatment program. CONCLUSIONS: Vietnamese women may have heard of osteoporosis, yet they would benefit from education targeting prevention and treatment of the disease.

Language: en