OSTEOPOROSIS HEALTH BELIEFS AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG ORTHOPEDIC NURSES IN HUNAN PROVINCE, CHINA

Abstract Osteoporosis is a growing health problem worldwide. Health beliefs and self-efficacy in regard to osteoporosis might be important targets in preventive behaviours.This study aimed to describe beliefs around osteoporosis held by orthopaedic nurses as well as the nurses’ self-efficacy and the associations between knowledge, health beliefs and self-efficacy. A cross-sectional study was conducted with nurses currently working in orthopaedic departments in 13 tertiary hospitals in Hunan Province in China. Participants completed a questionnaire consisting of the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale (OHBS), the Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Scale (OSES) and a survey of their socio-demographic characteristics. A total of 558 nurses completed the survey (response rate 95%). The nurses’ scores regarding their perception of the susceptibility to and seriousness of osteoporosis were moderately low (mean OHBS score = 124.72, range 45–171; SD = 14.71), while their corresponding self-efficacy scores were moderately high (mean OSES score = 72.01, range 0–120; SD = 23.15). Knowledge regarding osteoporosis was positively associated with self-efficacy (r = 0.232, p = 0.000) but not with health beliefs (r = 0.030, p = 0.484). The findings of this study revealed moderately high self-efficacy and moderate health beliefs related to osteoporosis among orthopaedic nurses. Osteoporosis knowledge was not associated with health beliefs or self-efficacy. The findings indicate that educational programs should not only focus on knowledge improvement but also suggest changes in health beliefs to improve actual behaviour in practice.