Multifaceted interventions targeting high-risk patients and their primary care providers may improve the management of osteoporosis , but improvements are often clinical ly modest
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care interventions to improve the detection and treatment of osteoporosis .
A randomized controlled trial of mailed osteoporosis education to older adults
Introduction Osteoporosis represents a growing public health concern ; however , current rates of management are sub-optimal . The aim of our study was to assess , in a r and omized controlled trial , the effect of a mailed educational intervention on older adults ’ knowledge , attitudes , and preventive behaviors regarding osteoporosis . The setting was a large publicly funded state pharmacy benefits program . The patients were 31,715 Medicare beneficiaries from Pennsylvania who participated in a drug benefits program for low-to-moderate income elderly people . Methods All women aged over 65 years , and all men and women with a history of fracture or long-term oral use of glucocorticoid , were included . Approximately half of the participants ( intervention group ) were r and omly selected to receive three mailings aim ed at improving knowledge of osteoporosis and enhancing preventive activities , such as using calcium and vitamin D , reducing fall risks in the home , obtaining a bone mineral density ( BMD ) test , and taking medications when necessary . The other participants did not receive the intervention mailings and served as controls . We surveyed a sample of intervention and control subjects to determine the effects of the intervention on knowledge , attitudes , self-efficacy ( confidence in one ’s ability to perform specific activities ) , and behavior regarding osteoporosis prevention and treatment . Six hundred r and omly selected participants in the intervention group and an equal number in the control group were invited to participate . Results Twenty-six had died and 636 of the remaining 1,185 ( 54 % ) completed the survey . Respondents and non-respondents did not differ significantly with respect to measured sociodemographic factors . All scales had good reliability ( all Cronbach ’s alphas > 0.65 ) . Knowledge of osteoporosis was generally very good and did not differ between intervention ( mean = 65 % correct responses ) and control subjects ( mean = 67 % correct ; P=0.4 ) . Perceived susceptibility to osteoporosis was relatively high and similar across groups ( P=0.4 ) . Self-efficacy for participating in osteoporosis prevention and treatment was very strong in both the intervention ( mean = 4.3 on a 0–5 scale ) and control ( mean = 4.2 , P=0.03 ) groups . On average , subjects in the intervention group reported participating in 3.5 of 6 preventive osteoporosis activities compared with 3.4 in the control group ( P=0.5 ) . Conclusions Compared with the controls , a mailed educational intervention for osteoporosis was not associated with better knowledge , higher perceived susceptibility , or performance of preventive measures among the at-risk older adults that we studied . The intervention group demonstrated a small increase in self-efficacy . More intensive patient interventions or intervention aim ed at other aspects of the care process may be required to bring about changes that lead to a reduction in fractures
Multifaceted interventions targeting high-risk patients and their primary care providers may improve the management of osteoporosis , but improvements are often clinical ly modest
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care interventions to improve the detection and treatment of osteoporosis .