Knowledge, intentions and attitudes towards osteoporosis and other health conditions among older Australians.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis burden is underdiagnosed and undertreated. While increasing community awareness and education are recognised priorities, research on how older adults view osteoporosis is limited. The aim was to assess osteoporosis-related knowledge, intentions and attitudes in relation to other health conditions in Australian adults aged 50 years and older. METHODS: A validated online questionnaire, developed with an expert panel, was administered to 1432 healthy volunteers, (64.3 ± 9.5 years). The questionnaire assessed knowledge of osteoporosis risk factors, attitudes and intentions. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with low knowledge. RESULTS: Knowledge score across six topics was 29.5 ± 14.5 (100 possible). Lowest scores were for 'exercises to improve balance' (11.1 ± 11.5) and highest for 'sources of calcium' (35.0 ± 26.4). The likelihood of being in the lowest knowledge tertile was associated with age (OR: 1.02, CI: 1.00-1.03), lower education level (OR: 1.38, CI: 1.00-1.89), being male (OR: 2.40, CI: 1.87-3.09) and those without a family history of osteoporosis (OR: 1.79, CI: 1.30-2.45). CONCLUSION: The study identifies a concerning lack of knowledge about osteoporosis among older adults. Health promotion strategies to target discrete behaviours and address barriers and promoters for osteoporosis prevention are needed.