The Impact of Multifaceted Osteoporosis Group Education on Patients’ Decision-Making regarding Treatment Options and Lifestyle Changes

Box 3

Patients’ articulated decisions related to five overall themes.

Decisions related to diagnosis and prevention

 To talk to their children and grandchildren about the importance of getting calcium

 To encourage their sons and daughters to have a DXA scan

 To have a new DXA scan earlier than planned

 To ask about previous and future DXA scan results

 To become a member of the National Osteoporosis Society

Decisions related to training and exercise

 To do more exercise

 To start doing warm water exercise

 To do balance-training at home

 To use the training programme at home

 To do more weight-bearing exercises

 To try the specific exercises that one can do in bed

 To avoid forward bending and rotation of the back during exercise

Decisions related to daily life activity

 To try to take care of their grandchildren without lifting them

 To get the groceries without lifting too much

 To try not to lift the dog

 To try not to lift too much

 To try not to lift more than 5 kg

 To avoid forward bending and rotation of the back

 To use pillows to make good sleeping positions

 To be aware of lifting and carrying techniques

 To buy a different mop for washing the floor

 To buy a shopping trolley

 To buy a special chair for gardening

 To get out of bed in a “back friendly” way

Decisions related to diet for healthy bones

 To check if their diet is sufficient

 To start drinking more milk

 To focus on whether their meals contain calcium and vitamin D

 To calculate their daily intake of calcium from food

 To reduce their intake of calcium from tablets

 To take calcium at times when they do not eat calcium-rich food

 To talk to their physician about reducing their intake of calcium from tablets

 To increase intake of vitamin D from tablets

 To check their vitamin D blood level

Decisions related to medicine

 To change medication

 To check if medication causes side-effects

 To check if side-effects can be reduced by drinking more water with the tablet

 To postpone taking medication until the result of the next DXA-scan