Abstract

PURPOSE
To identify the predictors of calcium intake behavior and examine the relationships among bone mineral density, osteoporosis knowledge, osteoporosis health belief, osteoporosis self efficacy and calcium intake behavior of postmenopausal osteoporosis patients.
METHODS
The subjects consisted of 94 patients. The measurement tools were osteoporosis knowledge test, osteoporosis health belief scale, osteoporosis self-efficacy and calcium intake frequency questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 11.0 program.
RESULTS
The bone mineral density of the lumbar were .75g/cm2, T-score -2.67 and the femur neck were .67g/cm2, T-score -2.30. There was statistically a significant correlation between calcium intake behavior and health motivation (r=.449, p=.000) among the osteoporosis health belief. In hierarchial multiple regression analysis, current spouse(12.8%) and health motivation(19.9%) of the osteoporosis health belief explained the 32.7% of variance in calcium intake behavior.
CONCLUSION
Nursing intervention should be developed for increasing the calcium intake behavior through promoting health motivation for the postmenopausal osteoporosis women having no spouse currently.

• Keywords: Osteoporosis; Bone mineral density; Menopause