Conhecimento das mulheres na terceira idade sobre a osteoporose.

Abstract

This study is the approach to osteoporosis, a disease that results in decreased bone mass and micro architectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to mechanical weakness and subsequent predisposition to fractures, reaching everyone, especially women after menopause.The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge of older women about osteoporosis.Was made from an exploratory descriptive research with quantitative approach. Study participants 40 elderly women aged 65-80 years living in the area of the city of USF eighteenth Sousa - PB, via a semi-structured questionnaire, collected in June 2010. The data were compared and used the simple statistical packages, using graphs and tables, built by Excel. It was found that older study participants have partial knowledge about the disease, its causes were described by 55.76% as the lack of calcium, the risk factors mentioned were inadequate diet with 16.25% and family history 15% and as self-care measures adopted by the women to better control the progressive loss of bone mass is calcium intake by food sources as indicated by 27.95% of them. Clearly the most efficient approach for osteoporosis, taking into account the cost-benefit is prevention. Thus, a proper diet rich in calcium, with adequate exposure to sunlight, regular physical activity are among measures needed to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Moreover, the preventive treatment of fractures of the disease, is based, besides the above measures in pharmacological intervention. Among the measures adopted by the participants in the control are: calcium intake by food sources, not to smoke and drink alcohol.Finally, we emphasize the need to adopt educational strategies to inform not only on ideal preventive practices of osteoporosis, but also to build a new mentality and a new behavior that are important for disease control.