Assessment of Students’ Knowledge regarding Osteoporosis in College of Nursing/ University of Sulaimani

Background: Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by reduced bone mineral density and increased bone fragility, leading to a higher risk of fractures. It is a prevalent condition, especially among the elderly, with common fracture sites including the hip, spine, and wrist.Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of osteoporosis among nursing students at the College of Nursing, University of Sulaimani.Methods: Ninety-one nursing students from the College of Nursing, University of Sulaimani, participated in this study using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. The Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz (FOOQ) questionnaire was utilized to gather data, which was then analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 23).Results: The mean age of the students was 20.83 2.73 years. Of the participants, 53.8% had fair knowledge about osteoporosis, and an equal percentage (53.8%) were female. Additionally, 50.5% of the students lived with their families, and 64.8% had a preparatory school background. Students were knowledgeable about certain aspects: 83.5% knew multiple prevention methods, 78% recognized the need for increased calcium during growth, 74.7% understood the risk posed by high caffeine and low calcium intake, and 73.6% were aware of the fracture risk in women over 50 without preventive measures. However, there were significant knowledge gaps: only 28.6% knew that walking does not benefit osteoporosis, 22% identified low-weight females as higher risk, and 28.6% knew the calcium content in a glass of milk.Conclusions: The study reveals that nursing students at the University of Sulaimani have inadequate knowledge of osteoporosis, particularly in areas related to prevention and treatment, highlighting the need for enhanced educational interventions.