Risk Factors of Osteoporosis in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Rawalpindi

Purpose: Osteoporosis is a common health problem all over the world. Loss of bone mass with aging leads to osteoporosis. Different factors affect the bone mass loss and consequencltly osteoporosis prevalence. However, these factors are under-studied in the Pakistan.This study aims to identify the risk factors of osteoporosis among patients in Holy Family Hospital Rawalipindi. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in among 120 diagnosed patients of osteoporosis for six months from April 2021 to September 2021 in a tertiary care hospital of Rawalpindi. Patients were recruited in the study via a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria and non-probability convenient sampling technique. A self-strcutured questionnaire was used to collect data. Before data collection information consent was acquired from all participants. Data analysis was performed on SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were applied. Findings: Osteoporosis was more prevalent among the patients who had, age group with more than 45years (79.16%), female gender (72.50%), low education level (64.16%), lower socioeconomic status (68.33%), family history of osteoporosis (61.67%), sedentary lifestyle (57.50%), history of corticosteroids therapy (53.33%), no milk use (69.20%), no fresh vegetables and fruits use (80.00%), no inatke of calcium supplements (78.33%), no sunshine exposure (77.50%), and overweight (48.33%). In short, age group with age above 45years, female gender, low education level, lower socioeconomic status, family history of osteoporosis, sedentary lifestyle, overweight, history of use of corticosteroids, no milk use, no intake of fresh vegetables and fruits, no intake of calcium supplements, and no sunshine exposure, all raise the incidence of osteoporosis. Recommendations: People should take milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, calcium supplements, and sun bath. Furthermore, people should spend active life with proper weight.