Abstract
Introduction: Osteoporosis is a systemic disease that is characterized by a decline in the mass of bone leading to bone thinning and fragility that, in turn, leaves patients highly vulnerable to bone fractures. There is a lack of information on awareness about osteoporosis in Makkah, the third most populated city in Saudi Arabia. Aims: To investigate the level of attitude, practice and knowledge of females in Makkah regarding osteoporosis. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among females in Makkah, Saudi Arabia from October 1 to 31, 2021. The study queried Saudi and non-Saudi adult women residing in Makkah through a self-administered, previously validated questionnaire that was distributed online in addition to a tool used to assess the knowledge regarding osteoporosis. Results: Of 404 females (mean age 27.4 +/- 10.1 years) participated. The proportions of participants who exhibited high levels of perception were 56%, 87.9%, and 56.9%, respectively. There were significant associations between attitudes and knowledge (P = 0.025) and practices (P = 0.003). Furthermore, attitude level was associated with education level (P = 0.047). Conclusion: An acceptable amount of women showed high levels 1of practice and perception, whereas their attitude was much higher regarding osteoporosis. This high attitude suggests that the female participants are willing to increase their knowledge and practice, both of which can be achieved by increasing education through university education and physicians.