Awareness and sources of information about osteoporosis among medical students

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge of osteoporosis (OP) and the sources of information about the disease among medical students and the effect of the medical training on their awareness about the OP. Material and Methods: Two hundred twenty seven students were asked if they knew OP. Two hundred fifteen students reported that they were familiar with OP. Statistical analysis was done among these 215 students. The questionnaire included 7 questions. Participants were divided into three groups: English preparatory year's students (EP), first year's students, second year's students. Results: Most of the students (94.4%, n=203) thought that OP was serious health problem. Two hundred three students (94%) believed that inadequate dietary calcium and vitamin D intake was the cause of OP. Bone densitometry was the mainly chosen (90.1%) diagnostic method. As source of knowledge from television was reported by 63.7% of the students. Number of the students who knew, in which population OP was seen, correctly (p=0.035) and who reported the health professionals as the source of knowledge (p=0.001) were significantly increased in first and second classes when compared with EP class. Conclusions: We observed that medical student who had no lessons of OP, have knowledge about OP by means of television and newspaper.