Menopause International > Volume 15, Number 3 > Pp. 113-119

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Palacios, S. Articles by Pérez, M. PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Original articles

Knowledge and compliance from patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment

Santiago Palacios ^* , Rafael Sánchez-Borrego , José Luis Neyro , Francisco Quereda , Francisco Vázquez ^**, Maite Pérez  and Montserrat Pérez 

^* Instituto Palacios, Madrid, Spain
Clínica DIATROS, Barcelona, Spain
Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo (Vizcaya), Spain
Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
^** Centro Ginecológico CEOGA, Lugo, Spain
Laboratorios Almirall S.A, Barcelona, Spain
Adelphi Targis, Barcelona, Spain

Correspondence: Dr Santiago Palacios MD, Instituto Palacios, Salud y Medicina de la Mujer, C/Antonio Acuña, 9, 28009 Madrid, Spain. Email: ipalacios{at}institutopalacios.com
Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and expectations of patients receiving treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis, analysing the factors related to good compliance with treatment.

Methods. A national, epidemiological, cross-sectional study collected information on personal medical history, family history, bone densitometry, and treatment and compliance of patients over 45 years who were receiving treatment for osteoporosis and provided their informed consent. The patients anonymously completed a questionnaire about their knowledge of osteoporosis and the Morisky and Green treatment compliance evaluation test.

Results. Three hundred and fifteen specialists in gynaecology participated, recruiting 1179 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. The mean age was 59.9 years (standard deviation [SD] = 7.5). Only 22.6% of the patients showed an acceptable knowledge of osteoporosis (the criterion established was correct response to 80% of the questions). Treatment compliance was evaluated using a combination of Morisky–Green and Haynes–Sackett criteria. Of the patients 39.2% were classified as compliant, 74.6% of the patients were very or quite concerned about their condition and 53.3%; described their health status as excellent or good. However, 63.6% of the patients indicated that they needed more information about osteoporosis. The factors related to good compliance were the existence of one or no concomitant disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, P = 0.025) and the type of knowledge about their disease (acceptable knowledge: OR = 1.33, P = 0.043).

Conclusions. Correct knowledge about osteoporosis would increase the possibility of appropriate compliance with the prescribed treatment, thus reducing the risk of osteoporotic fractures.

Key Words: Compliance • knowledge • postmenopausal osteoporosis

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?