JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Improved bone health during adolescence can have lifelong implications, reducing the risk of bone fragility.

Objective:

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an e-book in increasing knowledge and promoting healthy practices related to bone health among Malay adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Methods:

A total of 72 adolescents (70.8% females, mean age = 15 years old) were recruited from selected secondary schools. The participants answered a pre-test online questionnaire on sociodemographic data, knowledge about osteoporosis, and physical activity. A video call was conducted to assess dietary calcium intake. Participants were provided with a link to an e-book on bone health and instructed to read it within two weeks. Post-intervention assessments included knowledge, physical activity, dietary calcium intake, and acceptance of the e-book.

Results:

There was a significant increase in the median knowledge score from 40.6% during the pre-test to 71.9% during the post-test. However, no changes were observed in dietary calcium intake or physical activity levels. Most participants did not meet the recommended calcium requirements (98%) and exhibited sedentary behaviour (82.3% pre-test and 77.4% post-test). The e-book, however, was well accepted, with the majority reporting understanding of the contents (97.2%), liking the graphics (98.6%), and approving of the layout (83.3%) and font size (91.7%) used.

Conclusions:

The developed e-book effectively increases knowledge levels related to bone health and is well-accepted among participants. However, this educational material did not improve bone health practices. Additional strategies are necessary to bridge the gap between knowledge and behaviour change.