Promoção da saúde óssea em idosos: efeitos de uma intervenção educativa na universidade da maturidade do Polo de Palmas – TO

Abstract

Population aging in Brazil and worldwide is associated with an increased prevalence of chronic diseases and conditions that affect older adults’ quality of life. This disease compromises bone mineral density, increasing the risk of fractures and loss of autonomy. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on bone health, osteoporosis knowledge, and self-care capacity among older adults enrolled in the Universidade da Maturidade (UMA/UFT), Palmas Campus – TO. A quasi-experimental, pre–post design without a control group was conducted. The sample was selected through simple random sampling from the list of active students. The intervention consisted of educational workshops on osteoporosis prevention and management, healthy lifestyle habits, and self-care practices. The Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Tool (OPAAT) and the Adult Self-Care Scale (ASA-A) were applied, in addition to the assessment of bone mineral density and body composition using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Results indicated a significant increase in osteoporosis knowledge and self-care capacity, with most participants moving into the high self-care category. Changes in bone mineral density were subtle and compatible with measurement variability, but a slight increase in lean mass and a reduction in body fat percentage were observed. The findings suggest that the educational intervention contributed to promoting bone health and strengthening self- care, being potentially replicable in other elderly care contexts and relevant to public policies aimed at active aging.