Osteoporosis Knowledge and Health Beliefs Among Female Community Leaders in Peru

Background: Osteoporosis presents an increasing problem globally, primarily affecting older adults and postmenopausal women. Among important modifiable risk factors for osteoporosis, physical activity and calcium intake help reduce bone mineral loss and decrease the prevalence of osteoporosis. Although osteoporosis knowledge and health beliefs are associated with adopting preventive behavior and screening rates, few studies have evaluated them in Latin American populations. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among female community leaders in a Peruvian periurban setting. A total of 60 women participated in the study, with a mean age of 43.7 ± 8.3 years, mean body mass index of 30.4 ± 5.3 kg/m(2), 88% being overweight or obese, and 58.3% having completed high school education or beyond. Participants completed translated and culturally adapted Osteoporosis Knowledge Test and Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale via semistructured interviews. Results: Most participants reported high knowledge regarding osteoporosis, perceived benefits to exercise and calcium intake, and health motivation. The level of osteoporosis knowledge was highly associated with the level of education, and we found a trend for the association between level of knowledge and perceived benefits of exercise and barriers to calcium intake among participants. Conclusions: Female community leaders with high health motivation and community engagement can contribute enormously to osteoporosis prevention programs in local communities in the future.