An osteoporosis knowledge assessment instrument – development and validation

Abstract

Introduction: The consequences of osteoporotic fractures are extremely detrimental to the individual as well as to society. Adopting effective preventative measures is a top public health priority. Aim: This paper deals with the development and validation of an osteoporosis knowledge measurement tool. Materials and methods: The study sample included 335 healthy women aged between 25 and 51 years. The osteoporosis knowledge measurement tool is an adapted version of the osteoporosis knowledge assessment tool (OKAT). To determine the validity and reliability of the tool, we examined the psychometric properties. Nonparametric methods were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Flesch reading ease index was 55.14. The Cronbach’s α value was 0.884. The corrected item-total correlations varied between 0.340 and 0.611. The items’ mean difficulty was 0.46. The mean discrimination index was 0.61. The mean score of the sample was M=12.64±5.164, a little bit higher than 50% of the success rate. Conclusion: The tool can be used in different settings to assess educational needs and plan interventions. The results indicate a need for educational and preventive initiatives.