A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of structured Teaching Programme on the Knowledge Regarding Prevention of Osteoporosis among Postmenopausal Women Employed at Y.C.M Hospital of Pune

Osteoporosis is a disease characterised by bone fragility due to low bone mass and a break down in the skeletal framework. It is a major public health problem affecting millions of people worldwide, with significant physical, psychosocial and financial consequences for the patient and the health care system. Women are at higher risk of getting osteoporosis due to attainment of lower peak bone mass early in life and hormonal changes that occur at the menopause. While osteoporosis is a disease with a strong genetic predisposition, calcium intake and physical activity are well-established modifiable risk factors operating through the maintenance of bone mass and skeletal integrity. Evidence suggests that physical activity and calcium intake can affect not just bone mineral density, but also risk of osteoporotic fractures. Prospective longitudinal studies have estimated that 23 % of osteoporosis is attributable to physical inactivity and that almost 10 % of osteoporotic fractures are attributable to low dietary calcium intake. This demonstrates that there are substantial preventable fractions on the order of 10 % - 20 % for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, and that efforts to develop intervention strategies to achieve this are warranted, thus prompting recommendations for population-based interventions to promote adequate calcium intake and physical activity to prevent osteoporosis.