Osteoporosis Awareness in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Osteoporosis is a common and serious complication of spinal cord injury (SCI), substantially increasing the risk of fragility fractures. Despite this elevated risk, awareness of osteoporosis among individuals living with SCI is not well understood. This cross-sectional observational study assessed the level of osteoporosis awareness in adults with chronic traumatic SCI and examined which demographic, injury-related, and healthcare-related factors were independently associated with awareness. Ninety-four adults with chronic traumatic SCI completed the Turkish version of the Osteoporosis Awareness Scale, along with a structured questionnaire covering education, injury characteristics, healthcare utilization, and personal health-seeking behaviors. The study aimed to identify modifiable factors linked to higher awareness in order to inform future educational interventions and improve osteoporosis prevention and management in this high-risk population.

Inclusion Criteria: * Documented traumatic spinal cord injury * Injury duration of at least 12 months (chronic SCI) * Age 18 years or older * Able to provide informed consent and complete questionnaires in Turkish Exclusion Criteria: * Significant cognitive impairment precluding reliable questionnaire completion * Acute medical illness requiring hospitalization * Inability to communicate in Turkish * Non-traumatic etiology of spinal cord injury