PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to develop a model that explains causal relationships between post-menopausal women's osteoporosis general knowledge and awareness of their own bone mass density(BMD) and their osteoporosis health beliefs and preventive behaviors.
METHODS
Retrospective design using structural equation model tested seven variables by using questionnaires of osteoporosis knowledge test, osteoporosis health belief scale, osteoporosis self-efficacy scale, and osteoporosis preventive behaviors scale. 162 middle age and post-menopausal women were recruited.
RESULTS
Mediating effect of health beliefs was not significant in the relationship between BMD awareness and preventive behaviors. Instead, BMD awareness had a direct influence on the preventive behaviors that is strong and significant. Between the relationship of the BMD awareness and health beliefs, direct pathways of perceived threat, relative benefits, and self-efficacy were not significant. However, relative benefits and self-efficacy showed direct influence on the preventive behaviors.
CONCLUSION
Having middle age women get their BMD test done in order for them to be aware of their own BMD results might be a critical strategy to promote osteoporosis preventive behaviors. There is a need to develop diverse strategies to enhance their self-efficacy which has been shown to be important to osteoporosis preventive behaviors.

Citations

• Application and Effect of Mobiletype-Bone Health Intervention in Korean Young Adult Women with Low Bone Mass: A Randomized Control Trial
  Young-Joo Park, Sook-Ja Lee, Nah-Mee Shin, Hyunjeong Shin, Songi Jeon, Jungwoo Lee, Inhae Cho
  Asian Nursing Research.2017; 11(1): 56.     CrossRef
• An Equation Model Development and Test based on Health Belief Model Regarding Osteoporosis Prevention Behaviors among Postmenopausal Women
  Hyun-Jung Jang, Sukhee Ahn
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2015; 27(6): 624.     CrossRef
• A Predictive Model of Fall Prevention Behaviors in Postmenopausal Women
  Hyun-Jung Jang, Sukhee Ahn
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2014; 44(5): 525.     CrossRef
• Bone Mineral Density, Biochemical Bone Turnover Markers and Factors associated with Bone Health in Young Korean Women
  Young-Joo Park, Sook Ja Lee, Nah-Mee Shin, Hyunjeong Shin, Yoo-Kyung Kim, Yunjung Cho, Songi Jeon, Inhae Cho
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2014; 44(5): 504.     CrossRef