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A preventative health education programme for osteoporosis
Dean Whitehead1, John Keast, Val Montgomery
1College of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. d.whitehead@massey.ac.nz
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|June 10, 2004
Summary
Osteoporosis prevention services were enhanced through an action research project, expanding programs to include preventative health education. This initiative addressed low-priority prevention activities and organizational reforms within a hospital setting.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Preventative Medicine
Background:
- Osteoporosis poses a significant global economic and social burden, yet prevention receives low priority.
- Current osteoporosis services focus on screening and pharmacological treatments, often intervening after diagnosis or risk identification.
- There is a need for early, preventative interventions in osteoporosis management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess an existing hospital osteoporosis service.
- To identify areas for improvement and necessary changes within the service.
- To evaluate the implementation of organizational reforms and changes.
Main Methods:
- Action research methodology was employed.
- Data collected through group meetings and reflective journals.
- The process involved service assessment, problem identification, and evaluation of change processes.
Main Results:
- A change program focused on preventative health education was implemented.
- The osteoporosis service expanded its offerings to include diverse preventative activities.
- Organizational reforms were integrated with the expanded preventative program.
Conclusions:
- The project successfully enhanced osteoporosis prevention strategies.
- Integrating health education into clinical settings proved effective.
- The study demonstrated the value of action research in service improvement.