THE EFFECT OF OSTEOPOROSIS HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM BASED ON HEALTH BELIEF MODEL ON KNOWLEDGE AND HEALTH BELIEFS TOWARDS OSTEOPOROSIS AMONG JORDANIAN FEMALE TEACHERS

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the effect of osteoporosis health education program based on Health Belief Model on knowledge and health beliefs towards osteoporosis among Jordanian female teachers. This experimental study was performed on 200 female teachers (100 teachers in the intervention group and 100 in the control group) aged 25 - 49 years old in four governmental secondary schools affiliated to public educational directorate in Amman governorate. The females participated in a four-week educational program based on the Health Belief Model. The data collection instrument was a validated and reliable questionnaire in three sections: demographics, knowledge and health beliefs. The questionnaires on osteoporosis knowledge and health beliefs were given to the participants before the program (pre-intervention) and repeated three months later after the intervention on the same participants (post-intervention). The health education program prepared according to pre-intervention results. The results revealed that the mean scores of teachers’ knowledge and health beliefs subscales among the intervention group were significantly changed before and after the educational intervention program (P < 0.05). The use of an osteoporosis educational program seems to improve knowledge and health beliefs. In addition, it could support the need to raising the awareness and knowledge of osteoporosis.