Qualitative Study on Osteoporosis Representation and Management in the General Population and in General Practitioners.

Brief Summary: Osteoporosis (OP) and subsequent fractures (OP fractures) are a source of morbidity and high mortality in the elderly. Despite numerous programs aiming at improving OP care, the prevention, diagnostic and treatment remain suboptimal. Barriers to a better care are multiple, both in the general and at-risk population, and in medical practitioners. Since they do not perceive their susceptibility to OP, people do not see the benefit of prevention. In addition, physicians do not give sufficient importance to OP prevention and care, despite the existence of guidelines.

The investigators implemented a qualitative study to explore the knowledge and representations regarding osteoporosis in the general and at-risk population and in doctors in Rhône-Alpes Region, France, using focus groups with women and men and semi-structured face-to-face interviews with general practitioners. Understanding barriers to osteoporosis care in patients and general practitioners will help to set up effective strategies to improve prevention and treatment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

group 1: women aged 50 to 85 years with a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic
group 2: women aged 50 to 85 years without a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic
group 3: men aged 60 to 85 years with a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic
group 4: men aged 60 to 85 years without a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic
group 5: general practitioners in Region Rhône-Alpes, France
who signed the consent form

Exclusion Criteria

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Osteoporotic men	qualitative study	Men over 60 years with a diagnosis of osteoporosis or history of fragility fracture /osteoporosis treatment
At risk women	qualitative study	women over 50 years without a diagnosis of osteoporosis or history of fragility fracture /osteoporosis treatment
At-risk men	qualitative study	Men over 60 years without a diagnosis of osteoporosis or history of fragility fracture /osteoporosis treatment
Osteoporotic women	qualitative study	women over 50 years with a diagnosis of osteoporosis or history of fragility fracture /osteoporosis treatment
General practitioners	qualitative study	General practitioners from the Rhône area, France

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Focus Group Interview	24 hours	Representations of osteoporosis, in general practitioners and in 4 groups of people. Representations were drawn from focus groups interviews based on the theory of social representations of illness developed by Moscovici and Durkheim. Four types of focus groups were conducted until data saturation: 9 groups with women aged 50 to 85 years and 7 groups with men aged 60 to 85 years, with or without a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic. In parallel, semi-structured face-to face interviews were conducted with 16 general practitioners

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Factors favoring and barriers to a better management of OP in each group	At the day of inclusion	Factors favoring and barriers to a better management of OP were collected during the focus groups interviews. Specific questions were asked to collect information on reasons for not complying with recommendations or prescriptions. Four types of focus groups were conducted until data saturation: 9 groups with women aged 50 to 85 years and 7 groups with men aged 60 to 85 years, with or without a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic. In parallel, semi-structured face-to face interviews were conducted with 16 general practitioners
Specific communication needs for the different groups: men/women, fractured/non-fractured.	At the day of inclusion	Needs for communication tools were collected by specific questions asked during the focus groups interviews. Four types of focus groups were conducted until data saturation: 9 groups with women aged 50 to 85 years and 7 groups with men aged 60 to 85 years, with or without a history of fragility fracture or an osteoporosis diagnostic. In parallel, semi-structured face-to face interviews were conducted with 16 general practitioners