Promoting the adoption of behaviors to prevent osteoporosis using the health belief model integrated with health literacy: quasi-experimental intervention study

BACKGROUND: The health belief model (HBM) is effective in preventing osteoporosis and promoting health literacy (HL). In this regard, there are some critical points such as the role of HL in preventing osteoporosis, adoption of preventive behaviors, adoption of behaviors, including physical activity, and the role of health volunteers in transmitting health messages to the community. Considering the aforesaid points this study was performed among the health volunteers aimed to determine the effect of educational intervention based on integrated HBM with HL on walking and nutrition behaviors to prevent osteoporosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this quasi-experimental intervention study, 140 health volunteers (70 people in each of the two intervention and control groups) were enrolled in the study using multi-stage random sampling, in 2020. The members of the intervention group received e-learning through social media software, 4 times during 4 weeks (once a week) and were provided with educational booklets and pamphlets. Data collection tools included demographic and background questionnaires; standard questionnaire based on the HBM, awareness, and walking and nutrition behaviors to prevent osteoporosis; and HELIA questionnaire to measure HL. These questionnaires were completed in two stages, before and 3 months after the intervention. The educational intervention in this study was sent to the intervention group in 4 stages. The collected data were analyzed using proportional tests (paired t-test, Wilcoxon test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test) and SPSS software version 23. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation related to the score of adoption of nutrition behaviors at the beginning of the study in the intervention group was 5.398 ± 1.447, which changed to 8.446 ± 1.244 after 3 months, indicating a significant increase in the adoption of such behaviors (P = 0.009). In the control group, the mean and standard deviation of the scores of adoption of nutrition behaviors changed from 5.451 ± 1.222 to 6.003 ± 1.005, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.351). Also, the mean and standard deviation related to the scores of adoption of walking behavior at the beginning of the study in the intervention group was 8.956 ± 0.261, which changed to 13.457 ± 0.587 after 3 months, indicating a significant increase in the adoption of such behaviors (P < 0.001). In the control group, the mean and standard deviation related to the scores of the adoption of walking behavior changed from 8.848 ± 0.353 to 9.025 ± 0.545, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.211). Prior to the intervention, there was no significant difference between two groups regarding the variables of demographic and background, knowledge, all constructs of the model, HL, and adoption of walking and nutrition behaviors (P > 0.05). After the intervention, the comparison of the two groups showed that there was a significant change in the mean scores of awareness, all constructs of the model, HL, and adoption of preventive behaviors in the intervention group than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The educational intervention based on an HBM integrated with HL was effective and acceptable in correcting and promoting walking and nutrition behaviors to prevent osteoporosis among health volunteers. Therefore, it can be said that the intervention implemented was in line with the developed model used.