The relations between perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and preventive behavior to osteoporosis of high-risk persons in five provinces in North-Eastern Thailand

Abstract

Background : Osteoporosis is a preventable condition among the elderly population, but inadequate information is related to people’s perceived susceptibility and severity of the disease by the people, this can promote preventive behavior among the Thai population. This study aimed to investigate perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and preventive behavior of high-risk persons regarding osteoporosis in North-Eastern Thailand.

Methods : A cross-sectional survey involved five hundred and thirty-two participants who completed a questionnaire using a rating scale. The relationships between variables were statistically analyzed including frequencies, percentages, standard deviations, One-way ANOVA, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analysis.

Results : The results showed that most participants were female (62.2%); 90% were financially comfortable; 87.9% had a low level of education; and 64.5% had no history of underlying diseases. The participants had a low of level perceived susceptibility, but high level in perceived severity, and intermediate level in preventive behavior to osteoporosis. Noticeably, income, received information, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity factors were significantly related to preventive behavior in relation to osteoporosis (p = .001).

Conclusion : It can be concluded that the four variables: income, received information, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity; they played important roles in the promotion of preventive behavior of the participants in North-Eastern Thailand in relation to osteoporosis.