Oyinlola Babatunde

Theory-driven Intervention Improves Calcium Intake, Osteoporosis Knowledge, and Self-efficacy in Community-Dwelling Older Black Adults

OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of an osteoporosis education program to improve calcium intake, knowledge, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older Black adults. DESIGN Randomized repeated measures experimental design. SETTING Churches and community-based organizations. PARTICIPANTS Men and women (n = 110) 50 years old and older from 3 south Florida counties. INTERVENTION Participants randomly assigned to either of 2 groups: Group 1 (experimental group) or Group 2 (wait-list control group). Group 1 participated in 6 weekly education program sessions immediately following baseline assessment, and Group 2 started the program following Group 1s program completion. A tested curriculum was adapted to meet the needs of the target population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Dietary calcium intake, osteoporosis knowledge, health beliefs, and self-efficacy. ANALYSIS Descriptive and summary statistics, repeated measures analysis of variance, and regression analysis. RESULTS Of the total participants, 84.6% completed the study (mean age = 70.2 years). Overall, an educational program developed with a theoretical background was associated with improvement in calcium intake, knowledge, and self-efficacy, with no effect on most health belief subscales. Assigned group was the major predictor of change in calcium intake. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS A theory-driven approach is valuable in improving behavior to promote bone health in this population. Health professionals should consider using more theory-driven approaches in intervention studies.

Revisiting Baby Boomers and Alcohol Use: Emerging Treatment Trends

With the aging of the “Baby Boom” generation, it is anticipated that there will be a greater frequency of alcohol misuse among older adults. Clinicians often overlook signs of alcohol abuse in older adults or misdiagnose these problems. The purpose of this article is to examine some of the problems with alcohol use in older adults to further create awareness of the importance of appropriate strategies to reduce incidence. We consider the severity of alcohol abuse, factors that can aggravate alcohol use, and methods of implementing treatment in this population.

Osteoporosis Knowledge and Health Beliefs Among Men in Midlife Years

Objective: To examine the role of socioeconomic variables on middle‐aged adult mens knowledge and health beliefs about osteoporosis. Methods: An anonymous survey used validated scales to assess osteoporosis knowledge and health beliefs in a sample of 262 men aged 36–55 years. Descriptive and group‐differences statistics (MANOVA and ANOVA) were used. Results: Total osteoporosis knowledge was low (mean, 11.1 of 22) and mean scores on perceived susceptibility and seriousness health belief domains were also low: 13.2 and 17.2, respectively out of 30. Multivariate ANOVA revealed that perceived seriousness, barriers to calcium intake, and health motivation varied significantly with level of formal education attained (P < .05). There was no significant difference with income. Conclusions and Implications: Results of this convenience sample of predominantly white men found that level of osteoporosis knowledge and perceived susceptibility were low. Given the increased prevalence of osteoporosis‐related fracture in men, methods to increase knowledge and awareness are needed.