Work

Missed Opportunities in Osteoporosis Prevention and Screening in Postmenopausal Women: Risk Profiles and Awareness

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives: Osteoporosis (OP) is a major public health issue among postmenopausal women.Despite its high prevalence, awareness and screening practices remain insufficient.This study aims to evaluate OP-related risk factors and awareness levels among postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods:This prospective study was conducted between August 2023 and April 2024 among patients admitted to the general internal medicine outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital.Participants were categorized into two groups: patients with OP and patients without OP (non-OP).OP awareness was assessed using the OP awareness scale. Results:The study included 206 participants: 101 in the OP group and 105 in the non-OP group.Evaluation of risk factors (n = 20) showed no significant difference (SD) in the mean number of risk factors between the groups [OP: 7.29 (1.77), non-OP: 6.71 (1.94), p > 0.05].Both groups demonstrated inadequate physical activity and dietary habits.The OP group demonstrated a higher prevalence of glucocorticoid use, while the non-OP group exhibited a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (p < 0.01) and type 2 diabetes (p = 0.02).About 35% of the non-OP group have not undergone bone-mineral-density measurements within the last 2 years, and 11% of these individuals were identified as high risk for major osteoporotic fracture within a 10-year timeframe.There was no SD in OP awareness between the groups [mean (SD) scores: OP 61.18 (16.02) and non-OP 61.32 (14.39); p = 0.44].Conversely, risk of OP was positively correlated with patient age (p = 0.004), lower awareness score in the protective behavior subdomain (p = 0.02), and lower body mass index (p < 0.001).Conclusion: OP prevention and its management require patient-specific strategies that include educational interventions to increase awareness and routine screening for risk factors among postmenopausal women.Pharmacists are well-positioned to identify patients' health-related and educational needs.

Source: Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

DOI: 10.4274/tjps.galenos.2026.09090

Authors: Fatma ÖZDOĞAN, Burcu KELLECİ ÇAKIR, Şerife Gül ÖZ, Aygin BAYRAKTAR-EKİNCİOĞLU

Institution: Hacettepe University

Language: English

Topic: Bone health and osteoporosis research

Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Hacettepe Üniversitesi