Effectiveness of an e-Book on Bone Health as Educational Material for Adolescents: Single-Group Experimental Study

Abstract

Abstract BackgroundImproved bone health during adolescence can have lifelong implications, reducing the risk of bone fragility. ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an e-book in increasing knowledge about and promoting healthy practices related to bone health among Malay adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. MethodsA total of 72 adolescents (female: n=51, 71%; age: mean 15, SD 0.74 y) were recruited from selected secondary schools. The participants answered a pretest web-based questionnaire on sociodemographic data, knowledge about osteoporosis, and physical activity. A video call was conducted to assess dietary calcium intake. Participants were provided with a link to an e-book on bone health and instructed to read it within 2 weeks. Postintervention assessments included those for knowledge, physical activity, dietary calcium intake, and acceptance of the e-book. ResultsThere was a significant increase in the median knowledge score, which was 40.6% (IQR 31.3%-46.9%) during the pretest and 71.9% (IQR 53.9%-81.3%) during the posttest (P ConclusionsThe developed e-book effectively increases knowledge levels related to bone health and is well accepted among participants. However, this educational material did not improve bone health practices. Additional strategies are necessary to bridge the gap between knowledge and behavior change.