Osteoporosis preventive behaviors in adolescent girls: the educational program based on BASNEF model

Osteoporosis is a progressive and preventable metabolic disease. This study aimed to assess the short-term effect of the educational program based on the Beliefs, Attitude, Subjective Norms, Enabling Factors (BASNEF) model on the osteoporosis preventive behaviors in adolescent girls. It was found that the BASNEF model improved the osteoporosis preventive behaviors in adolescent girls.

Osteoporosis is a progressive and preventable metabolic disease. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effect of the education program based on the BASNEF model on the osteoporosis preventive behaviors in adolescent girls.

This randomized clinical trial was conducted on adolescent girls from January to August 2018 in an urban area of Iran. Subjects were 120 adolescent girls aged 13-14 years studying in the girls' high school that were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The data collection tool was the demographic questionnaire and the researcher-made questionnaire consisting of six domains based on the BASNEF model. Validity and reliability of the questionnaires were confirmed before data collections. The educational program was developed based on the BASNEF model in four sessions lasting from 30 to 45 min. Data was collected before, immediately and 1 month after the educational program and was analyzed via the SPSS software v.18.

No statistically significant differences were reported between the groups in terms of knowledge (p = 0.48), attitude (p = 0.94), subjective norms (p = 0.17), behavioral intention (p = 0.82), enabling factors (p = 0.62), and osteoporosis preventive behaviors (p = 0.32). Meanwhile, immediately and 1 month after the educational program, differences were reported between the two groups in knowledge (p < 0.001), attitude (p = 0.002, p < 0.001), subjective norms (p = 0.024, p = 0.001), behavioral intention (p < 0.001, p = 0.001), enabling factors (p < 0.001), and osteoporosis preventive behaviors (p < 0.001).

It is suggested that educational program based on the BASNEF model is used to strengthen the osteoporosis preventive behaviors among adolescent girls.