Health Belief Model Based Intervention for Improving Nursing Students’ Knowledge and Behavior Regarding Osteoporosis Prevention

Osteoporosis is a preventable chronic disease that begins during childhood. It is a silent killer not diagnosed until an individual presents with a low impact fracture. Health belief model (HBM) based intervention increase awareness of risk factors and preventive behaviors. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of health belief model based intervention on nursing students’ knowledge and behavior regarding osteoporosis prevention. Sample: A convenient sample of 100 female nursing students was included. Setting: The study was conducted at Applied Medical Sciences Collage, nursing department in Al Dawadmi, from September -November 2013. Data were collected before and after one month from the intervention. Results: Students knowledge about osteoporosis was improved significantly post implementation of the HBM based intervention, also there was a significant difference between students perception regarding health believe subscale before and after the HBM based intervention. Also osteoporosis protective behaviors among students were significantly changed post the intervention and there was a significant correlation between their knowledge, perception and level of calcium intake & daily activity post the intervention. Conclusion: Osteoporosis is a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences which need HBM based educational intervention during the adulthood stage to improve adult female knowledge, maintain osteoporosis preventive behaviors, and improve their health believes. Key words: Health belief model (HBM) based intervention, osteoporosis prevention, nursing students