Betydningen af deltagelse i osteoporoseskole for den daglige livsførelse - et kvalitativt studie

The importance of group based patient education for the conduct of everyday life of patients with osteoporosis - A qualitative study

The aim of this study was to understand how attending a course of group based patient education on osteoporosis assisted patients in making health related changes in their conduct of everyday life. Courses were attended by 8-12 patients diagnosed with osteoporosis and consisted of four lectures once a week for four consecutive weeks. The course aimed at empowering patients with respect to living life with osteoporosis and contained subjects such as ‘fractures and pain', ‘diet', ‘preventive measures', ‘balance and exercise'. Moreover, each group discussed ‘How to live everyday life with osteoporosis'. Teaching was performed by nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, and doctors and was based on dialogue and patient activity. Six post-menopausal women with osteoporosis participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews, six month after participating in the course. The interviews illustrated that acquiring knowledge of osteoporosis was not the only part of what was experienced as helpful by patients in their day to day lives after having attended the course. Patient exchanges about the consequences of living with osteoporosis increased awareness regarding lifestyle and health related activities. Further, experience with osteoporosis in close relatives affected the way patients accepted and handled osteoporosis in their everyday lives.