Knowledge, Beliefs, Dietary, and Lifestyle Practices Related to Bone Health among Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Chin Yi Chan, Shaanthana Subramaniam, Kok-Yong Chin, Soelaiman Ima-Nirwana, Norliza Muhammad, Ahmad Fairus, Abdul Manap Mohd Rizal, Pei Yuan Ng, Jamil Nor Aini, Noorazah Abd Aziz and Norazlina Mohamed
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Chin Yi Chan: Department of Pharmacology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Shaanthana Subramaniam: Department of Pharmacology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Kok-Yong Chin: Department of Pharmacology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Soelaiman Ima-Nirwana: Department of Pharmacology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Norliza Muhammad: Department of Pharmacology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Ahmad Fairus: Department of Anatomy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Abdul Manap Mohd Rizal: Department of Community Health, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Pei Yuan Ng: Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Campus, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Jamil Nor Aini: Faculty of Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Campus, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
Noorazah Abd Aziz: Department of Family Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
Norazlina Mohamed: Department of Pharmacology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: Osteoporosis is a growing health problem in Asian countries with a rapidly expanding aging population. Adequate knowledge and positive health beliefs regarding osteoporosis will encourage individuals to adopt measures to protect bone health. This study aimed to investigate the association between knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding osteoporosis and bone health among Malaysians Chinese aged 40 years and above. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 367 Malaysians Chinese (182 men, 185 women) aged ≥ 40 years in Klang Valley, Malaysia. They completed a questionnaire on knowledge, beliefs, and practices of osteoporosis and underwent bone mineral density scan using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry device. The subjects showed moderate knowledge and high level of health beliefs regarding osteoporosis, but poor osteoprotective practices. Osteoporosis knowledge and beliefs were significantly different based on subjects’ demographic characteristics (p < 0.05). Additionally, osteoporosis knowledge was correlated positively with beliefs, coffee or tea intake ( p < 0.05) but not with other lifestyle practices. Osteoporosis health beliefs was associated positively with physical activity, dairy and calcium intake ( p < 0.05). However, bone health was not associated with knowledge, beliefs and practices regarding osteoporosis ( p > 0.05). The present findings highlight the need of formulating osteoporosis prevention program targeting Malaysians Chinese, especially men, to improve their knowledge, health beliefs, and practice.

Keywords: knowledge; attitude; perception; behaviors; diet; bone density; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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