An assessment of the relation between bone mineral density and clinic-demographic properties and life quality during postmenopausal period.

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to assess the relation between bone mineral density (BMD) and clinic-demographic properties and life quality during postmenopausal period.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 172 postmenopausal women who applied to the physical therapy and rehabilitation outpatient clinic at a training and research hospital in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The Survey Form, The 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the FRAX™ were used as data collection tools in this study.

RESULTS

The osteoporosis and osteopenia frequencies were respectively 28.5% and 42.4% in this study. The 10-year major osteoporotic fracture risk was 5.15% and the femur fracture risk was estimated as 0.9%. In this study, there was a positive and significant relation found between the L1⁢-⁢4 and FN T-score and SF-36 scale score average (p< 0.05). There was a significant relation between the body mass index and SF-36 subscale 'mental health' (p< 0.05). In this study, the most significant determinant of life quality was exhibited as the "L1⁢-⁢4 T-score" (β= 55.509, p= 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

We determined that approximately one of every four women had osteoporosis and as the BMD dropped, the life quality of the women declined. Hence, we think that improving the awareness of health professionals working in this field is essential.