Adherence to Osteoporosis Screening and Its Related Factors: A Population-Based Study, Kerman, Iran

Background: Adherence to screening services is a prerequisite for the success of screening programs. Objectives: This study aimed at determining factors associated with participants’ compliance with Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) screening for osteoporosis. Methods: In this population-based participatory study, 1000 males and females older than 55 years old were invited to participate in the study. The study took place in the city of Kerman, Iran, where subjects were informed face to face about the risk factors and complications of osteoporosis and asked to complete a questionnaire. The subjects were then invited to visit a densitometry center for a free DXA study. Four rural areas and 4 locations in Kerman were selected based on municipal divisions. Results: A total of 923 individuals completed the questionnaire: 562 (60.9%) were female, nearly two-thirds were from urban areas, and 284 (30.8%) were willing to undergo densitometry. Eight percent had a history of corticosteroid use for more than 3 months. About two-thirds of the participants were walking less than 150 minutes per week. In the logistic regression analysis, urban residents (OR = 1.88), females (OR = 1.52), and those who perceived high risk of osteoporosis (OR = 1.67) were more likely to adhere to DXA screening. Conclusions: On the whole, despite informing people about osteoporosis and offering free services, compliance to densitometry was not remarkable.