Physician-led education and handouts are most effective for educating patients about osteoporosis

The purpose of this study was to identify osteoporosis education techniques and determine which are most effective in educating patients at risk for osteoporosis and fracture.

A systematic review of studies evaluating osteoporosis patient education efficacy was conducted in October 2022 according to PRISMA guidelines using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL.

A total of 41 articles were included, covering 73,918 patients at an average age of 66.0 (range, 35-96); 5025 (6.9 %) were men, and 67,899 (93.1 %) were women. Increased knowledge was observed using presentations (p < 0.001), videos (p < 0.001, 0 =0.01), and provider-led education (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001). Handouts led to increased treatments in 7 out of 11 studies (63.7 %), showing improvement in pharmacologic adherence, self-scheduling DXA scans (p < 0.0001), and discussions with providers (p < 0.001).

Patient education improves osteoporosis awareness and modifies patient behavior. Physician-led education increased knowledge related to osteoporosis, although this education format is time intensive. Handouts were demonstrated to be effective, efficient, and of minimal cost.

Integrating patient education handouts would increase patient knowledge and awareness about osteoporosis. Patients at high-risk for fractures would benefit from provider-led education. A combination of these methods will encourage patients to take steps towards managing their condition.