Abstract
Osteoporosis is a chronic illness that affects individuals globally, is underdiagnosed, and often poorly managed. Uncertainty is a phenomenon experienced by individuals diagnosed with chronic illness and is defined as the inability to determine the meaning of illness-related events. Experiencing uncertainty can lead to decreased quality of life (QOL), delays in decision-making, and negative impacts on relationships.
Purpose: This study aimed to determine if individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis experience uncertainty and to determine the lived experience of individuals with osteoporosis. Mishel’s Uncertainty in Illness Theory was used as the theoretical framework.
Method: Participants completed The Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community Form (MUIS-C) and the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Health scale, and interviews utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fourteen Caucasian women who all had a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Results: Based on the two survey results, a significant negative correlation was found between levels of uncertainty and physical health status. For example, those with higher levels of uncertainty had lower physical health status. The qualitative study focused on describing the experience individuals had with the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Thematic analysis revealed five themes that could be chronologically processed: The Sentinel Event, Adapting to Chronic Disease, Navigating Uncertainty, Being Less Than, and What the Future Holds.
Conclusion: The findings of this study conclude that patients with osteoporosis experience uncertainty. This finding can guide healthcare providers on how to share knowledge and education about the disease of osteoporosis with individuals. This inclusive approach is crucial for ensuring that preventive measures and management strategies are tailored to the diverse needs of all individuals, fostering equity and efficacy in osteoporosis care.
Notes
References:
Guan, T., Santacroce, S. J., Chen, D.-G., & Song, L. (2020). Illness uncertainty, coping, and quality of life among patients with prostate cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 29(6), 1019–1025. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5372
Hansen, C. A., Abrahamsen, B., Konradsen, H., & Pedersen, B. D. (2017). Women’s lived experiences of learning to live with osteoporosis: A longitudinal qualitative study. BMC Women’s Health, 17(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-017-0377-z
LeBoff, M. S., Greenspan, S. L., Insogna, K. L., Lewiecki, E. M., Saag, K. G., Singer, A. J., & Siris, E. S. (2022). The clinician’s guide to prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis International, 33(10), 2049–2102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-021-05900-y
Mishel, M. H. (1988). Uncertainty in Illness. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 20(4), 225–232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.1988.tb00082.x
Noel, S. E., Santos, M. P., & Wright, N. C. (2020). Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Bone Health and Outcomes in the United States. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 36(10), 1881–1905. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.4417
Sigma Membership
Alpha
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Phenomenology
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Primary Care, Interprofessional Interdisciplinary, Osteoporosis, Chronic Illness
Recommended Citation
Vlaeminck, Caitlin M., "Enduring Uncertainty Through the Lens of Osteoporosis: A Mixed Methods Study" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 17.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/17
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Enduring Uncertainty Through the Lens of Osteoporosis: A Mixed Methods Study
Seattle, Washington, USA
Osteoporosis is a chronic illness that affects individuals globally, is underdiagnosed, and often poorly managed. Uncertainty is a phenomenon experienced by individuals diagnosed with chronic illness and is defined as the inability to determine the meaning of illness-related events. Experiencing uncertainty can lead to decreased quality of life (QOL), delays in decision-making, and negative impacts on relationships.
Purpose: This study aimed to determine if individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis experience uncertainty and to determine the lived experience of individuals with osteoporosis. Mishel’s Uncertainty in Illness Theory was used as the theoretical framework.
Method: Participants completed The Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community Form (MUIS-C) and the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Health scale, and interviews utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fourteen Caucasian women who all had a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Results: Based on the two survey results, a significant negative correlation was found between levels of uncertainty and physical health status. For example, those with higher levels of uncertainty had lower physical health status. The qualitative study focused on describing the experience individuals had with the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Thematic analysis revealed five themes that could be chronologically processed: The Sentinel Event, Adapting to Chronic Disease, Navigating Uncertainty, Being Less Than, and What the Future Holds.
Conclusion: The findings of this study conclude that patients with osteoporosis experience uncertainty. This finding can guide healthcare providers on how to share knowledge and education about the disease of osteoporosis with individuals. This inclusive approach is crucial for ensuring that preventive measures and management strategies are tailored to the diverse needs of all individuals, fostering equity and efficacy in osteoporosis care.
Description
Attendees will be able to define uncertainty in the context of osteoporosis, using Mishel’s Uncertainty in Illness Theory to explain the correlation between uncertainty and physical health status in individuals with osteoporosis. Attendees will be able to describe strategies for healthcare providers offer tailored, inclusive approaches in osteoporosis prevention and care for diverse patient needs.