Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Theory-driven intervention improves calcium intake, osteoporosis knowledge, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling
Oyinlola T Babatunde1, Susan P Himburg, Frederick L Newman
1Department of Nutrition Science, College of Human Ecology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. babatundeo@ecu.edu
Objective:
To assess the effectiveness of an osteoporosis education program to improve calcium intake, knowledge, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older Black adults.
Design:
Randomized repeated measures experimental design.
Setting:
Churches and community-based organizations.
Participants:
Men and women (n = 110) 50 years old and older from 3 south Florida counties.
Intervention:
Participants randomly assigned to either of 2 groups: Group 1 (experimental group) or Group 2 (wait-list control group). Group 1 participated in 6 weekly education program sessions immediately following baseline assessment, and Group 2 started the program following Group 1's program completion. A tested curriculum was adapted to meet the needs of the target population.
Main Outcome Measures:
Dietary calcium intake, osteoporosis knowledge, health beliefs, and self-efficacy.
Analysis:
Descriptive and summary statistics, repeated measures analysis of variance, and regression analysis.
Results:
Of the total participants, 84.6% completed the study (mean age = 70.2 years). Overall, an educational program developed with a theoretical background was associated with improvement in calcium intake, knowledge, and self-efficacy, with no effect on most health belief subscales. Assigned group was the major predictor of change in calcium intake.
Conclusions And Implications:
A theory-driven approach is valuable in improving behavior to promote bone health in this population. Health professionals should consider using more theory-driven approaches in intervention studies.
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