Abstract
BACKGROUND: Among Chinese immigrants, osteoporosis is undertreated, misdiagnosed, and a leading cause of fragility fractures. In orthopaedic surgery departments, prevention education and health behavior change programs are necessary to improve their bone health.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an osteoporosis prevention education program on participants' self-efficacy with regard to exercise and nutrition when provided by an orthopaedic surgery team during an annual Chinese Health Fair in Santa Clara County, CA.
METHODS: This pilot study used a single-group pretest and posttest design. Chinese immigrants at risk of osteoporosis were recruited during a 1-day health fair. The Bone Health Intervention (BHI) included orthopaedic surgeon consultation, visual aids including osteoporosis images and bone models, a video that included a discussion on calcium and vitamin D in the Chinese diet and culturally-acceptable exercise, and osteoporosis educational handouts. The Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Scale (OSES) was utilized to measure participants' confidence in the ability to participate in self-care behaviors related to physical activity and calcium intake before and after the intervention. Paired t tests were used to compare participants' OSES scores pre- and postintervention.
RESULTS: There was a significant increase in mean OSES scores postintervention, indicating that the intervention could be an effective method of increasing participants' self-efficacy regarding calcium intake and time spent in exercising.
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that a culturally meaningful education program can potentially reduce fragility fracture risk. Orthopaedic health providers are ideal candidates to deliver preventive care education to improve outcomes for Chinese immigrants.