An assessment of the level of osteoporosis knowledge in postmenopausal breast cancer patients

Evaluating the level of osteoporosis knowledge in postmenopausal breast cancer patients is a key step towards the development and implementation of educational measures with the goal of reducing the incidence of fragility fractures in this population. The Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz (FOOQ) was used to assess the level of osteoporosis knowledge in 27 postmenopausal breast cancer patients and 31 healthy postmenopausal women. The mean score on the FOOQ for the breast cancer patients was 13 (65%). This was significantly lower (p < 0.01) than the mean score of 15 (75%) achieved by the healthy women. Overall, the level of osteoporosis knowledge was considered inadequate for both subgroups, particularly in the areas of potentially preventative behavior. The results of this study suggest that breast cancer patients, who are at an increased risk for the development of osteoporosis due to their antineoplastic therapy, may benefit from a specialized strategy for the communication of osteoporosis knowledge as a principle aspect of their treatment. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.