Beinvernd – The Icelandic Osteoporosis Foundation
 |
|
|
Contact Details |
||
| Office address | Beinvernd – The Icelandic Osteoporosis Society Postbox 161 270 Mosfellsbaer Iceland |
|
| Phone | +354 897 3119 | |
| Fax | +354 525 1850 | |
| beinvernd@beinvernd.is or Halldora@beinvernd.is |
||
| Website | http://www.beinvernd.is | |
Last updated on March 10, 2003
Society News
Icelandic National Women’s Soccer Team support for World Osteoporosis Day
 |
The Icelandic Osteoporosis Society teamed up with the National Women’s Soccer Team to promote bone health awareness on World Osteoporosis Day. Advertisements featuring the team (with a play on the words BEINA LEIÐ which translates to ‘Bone way’), promoted the team’s successful qualifying matches for the UEFA Women’s European Finals 2009 while at the same time encouraging young women and girls to participate in soccer as a form of bone-healthy exercise. Team members, who are excellent role models for younger women, all were given ultrasound bone density measurements (with good results). Large ads were placed in the two leading newspapers on October 20th, with smaller ads leading up to the qualifying matches on October 26, 29 and 30. Another big ad was placed to congratulate the team on November 1st following their success in winning a place in the UEFA finals.
The Icelandic Osteoporosis Foundation also published its annual newsletter and a Fact Sheet on World Osteoporosis Day. The information was mailed members and to contacts in the health care system, the parliament, and the Ministry of health.
 |
November 3, 2008
Women's Roundtable discusses broad range of issues
Beinvernd - The Icelandic Osteoporosis Society -organized a successful Women´s Roundtable on April 22, 2008.
 |
The eight participants included Kristin Ingolfsdottir, Rector of the University of Iceland; Inga Thorsdottir, Professor in nutrition; Anna Bjorg Aradottir, M.Sc. nurse at the Director Generals Office; Helena Olafsdottir, B.Sc. Physical Education and former national coach of the women´s national soccer team; Kolbrun Albertsdottir, M.Sc Nurse and researcher; Hildur Gunnarsdottir, a young woman with osteoporosis (who suffered several fractures) and Ragnaheidur Rikhardsdottir, MP. The event was chaired by a well known media personality Brynja Thorgeirsdottir.
Serveral significant issues were discussed. The importance of protecting bone health to preserve quality of life, listening to patients,the importance of education and research, and vitamin-D supplements in milk products. Another issue discussed was whether health authorities should screen for osteoporosis.Participants stressed the need to prioritise osteoporosis on the health agenda and to ensure that the best treatment is available. The need to motivate exercise in all age groups was a further topic under discussion.
The roundtable discussion went very well, carried out in a positive spirit and with excellent response from both the participants and the audience.
 |
| Inga Þórsdóttir, Ragnheiður Ríkharðsdóttir, Anna Björg Aradóttir, Helena Ólafsdóttir |
April 24, 2008
World Osteoporosis Day in Iceland with focus on risk factors
 |
Using the title 'What can be hidden', Beinvernd's World Osteoporosis Day campaign focused on risk factors and a creative form of the New IOF One Minute Osteoporosis Risk Test.
October 22, 2007
Master chefs took 'bone-friendly' food message to schoolchildren
Together with the Icelandic Society of Master Chefs, members of Beinvernd visited 30 school cafeterias at lunchtime on 20 October. A master chef spoke to students and school personnel about good nutrition, and educational materials on osteoporosis were distributed.
The Society encouraged staff at these cafeterias to prepare bone-friendly meals on World Osteoporosis Day, and restaurants featured a Bone Appétit menu on 20-22 October.
Media coverage included two ads, and articles in Iceland’s largest newspapers, TV ads in the run-up and following WOD, as well as a public service announcement over WOD weekend. Beinvernd also published its newsletter at end-September, and the Bone Appétit booklet shortly thereafter.
The women’s national soccer team were invited to a Bone Appétit dinner on 20 October.
September 22, 2006
“Osteoporosis Concerns Us All!” wins award for Beinvernd-Icelandic Osteoporosis Society
 |
Beinvernd, or the Icelandic Osteoporosis Society, was awarded an IOF-AMGEN Health Professionals Awareness Grant valued at USD 10,000. The award was presented at the IOF World Wide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies in Bangkok, Thailand on September 30, 2005. The award-winning project, called “Osteoporosis Concerns Us All!”, focuses on improving knowledge of osteoporosis among health professionals working in the nation’s primary health care centers. A successful pilot project has shown that this is direct way to reach both physicians and allied health professionals such as nurses, physiotherapists and dietitians. Beinvernd experts will hold seminars on osteoporosis at the clinics – covering topics such as diagnosis, treatment, patient care and education. The centers will receive educational slides on CD and printed material as well as booklets to distribute to patients who visit the clinics. To ensure long-term effectiveness of the educational campaign, BEINVERND will seek to establish a national network of contact persons in every health care region of the country to promote preventive measures and to ensure continued communication on osteoporosis-related subjects. Communication will be supported by a special website within the BEINVERND website www.beinvernd.is
November 1, 2005
World Osteoporosis Day 2005 seminar with Minister of Health
Beinvernd´s TV ad appeared on the three main TV channels. A print ad appeared in the two of the most read newspapers and also as a poster which was posted in public places and buildings.
A new booklet on physical exercise and osteoporosis was published as was the year's second newsletter.
A seminar was held on physical exercise and osteoporosis for professionals in the field of human movement and exercise, such as physiotherapists, physical education teachers and trainers and exercise specialists. The Seminars agenda as follows:
13:00-13:15 Opening by the Minister of Health
13:15-14:00 A lecture given by Dr. Ornolfur Valdimarsson, MD., P.hD.
14:00-14:45 A lecture given by Sigridur Lara Gudmundsdottir, Cand.Polit.
14:45-15:00 Coffee break and calcium rich refreshments
15:00-15:45 A lecture given by Ella Kolbrun Kristinsdottir, Ass. Professor
15:45-16:00 Adjournment
The seminar was very successful and attracted media attention.
 |
| Participants, mostly allied health professionals, at World Osteoporosis Day seminar |
 |
| Minister of Health Jon Kristjansson spoke at the seminar |
 |
| Poster and advertisement |
September 8, 2005
Osteoporosis in men the focus of Iceland's many WOD events: National soccer team tests their bones
 |
| Several days before an important match, the national soccer team had their bones tested: It proved to be a real media attraction! |
Beinvernd’s WOD activities focused on osteoporosis in men. On October 13, a few days before the World Cup football match between Iceland and Sweden, the national soccer team was invited to have a bone density measurement in their preparation for the game. Sports-reporters and the press were invited to the event which resulted in great media coverage. The news hit the front page of the sports-issue of MORGUNBLADID (the country's largest newspaper) and the evening-TV news on the national tv/radio station RUV!
October 16-17 featured Health days under the motto “get off the couch” in cooperation with the Icelandic Sport and Olympic Association and other health societies and organizations. During those days Beinvernd distributed or handed out booklets, offered bone density measurements (ultrasound measurements) and responded to questions from the public.
 |
| Male parliamentarians were invited to learn about osteoporosis and enjoy a calcium rich lunch |
Three articles about osteoporosis appeared in MORGUNBLADID on the 18th,19th and 20th and one article in FRETTABLADID on the 20th. There was also a full-page ad in these newpapers on the 20th of October and smaller ads the days before and after WOD as well as tv-ads.
In order to focus on health policy issues, a meeting with all male MPs in Iceland was held on October 20th. Dr. Bjorn Gudbjornsson, chairman of Beinvernd, welcomed the MPs and give a brief lecture on the cost of osteoporosis. Adalsteinn Gudmundsson, MD, (a specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics) gave a lecture on male osteoporosis. Halldora Bjornsdottir gave a short overview of what Beinvernd has accomplished during the last few years and what will be done in the near future. Beinvernd subsequently invited the MPs to a calcium-rich lunch.
September 22, 2004
Survey shows 98% of Icelanders are aware of osteoporosis -Iceland’s government targets 25% reduction in hip fractures by 2010
Since its launch in 1997, Beinvernd – the Icelandic Osteoporosis Society – has worked enthusiastically on raising awareness about osteoporosis as a serious and debilitatiing disease. TV advertising has been an integral part of the educational work carried out by the society. In 1999 the first TV-ad campaign was carried out to raise awareness about osteoporosis. In 2002, on Beinvernd´s 5th anniversary, a new TV-ad campaign was launched with corresponding print ads. This was part of the project for which Beinvernd won the IOF-Lilly Policy Initiative Award in 2002. A new TV-ad focused on osteoporosis in men has already been launched and will be running this year.
A 2003 Gallup-survey was initiated in order to evaluate the public’s awareness and attitude to osteoporosis as well as to evaluate the success of the advertisment campaigns.
Whereas five years ago very few people knew about osteoporosis, the results of the survey show that 98% of the 787 respondents (both men and women between the ages of 16 and 75) know about the disease. It is tempting to conclude that this advertising campaign has been successful. However, the campaign is not the only aspect of Beinvernd’s awareness-raising program. Booklets and school material have been published, lectures have been presented, and articles and interiews have appeared in the media. The website, www.beinvernd.is, attracts an average of 7.000 – 8.000 visitors per month. All this has contributed to the high level of awareness in the country.
But what has the government done so far regarding osteoporosis? DXA scanning has been reimbursed since April 1999; drugs to treat osteoporosis before the first fracture are reimbursed; and one of the main goals of the National Health Care Plan is to reduce the incidence of hip fractures by about 25% by 2010.
Furthermore, Beinvernd has received some financial support from the government for specific projects. Beinvernd has applied for financial support that equals the cost saved by preventing the “first fracture”. The rational for our application has been presented in such a way that if the preventive work that Beinvernd is doing in raising awareness about the disease will prevent fractures, especially the first fracture, the cost saved should be used in osteoporosis prevention programs. The results from the survey will be used when Beinvernd meets with the MPs on next World Osteoporosis Day in October 2004.
March 19, 2004
Icelandic women MPs invited to World Osteoporosis Day calcium-rich breakfast meeting
On Monday October 20th Beinvernd, the Icelandic Osteoporosis Society, invited all female MPs to a calcium rich breakfast meeting. Iceland's former president, Mrs Vigdis Finnbogadottir, and Beinvernd's patron and former minister of health and insurance Mrs Ingibjörg Palmadottir, attended the event. Dr. Bjorn Gudbjornsson gave a presentation on Quality of Life and osteoporosis and the society launched its first newsletter. The media was invited for maximum press coverage.
 |
| Members of Parliament listen to the presentation on quality of life in osteoporosis given by Dr. Dr. Bjorn Gudbjornsson |
 |
| Jonina Bjartmarz, Member of Parliament and chairman of the Government Committee of Health takes an ultrasound test. |
 |
| Dr. Bjorn Gudbjornsson gives Beinvernd's patron, Ms Ingibjorg Palmadottir, a copy of the first society newsletter |
October 14, 2003
The 14th Annual Women´s Run in Iceland was this year dedicated to bone health!
The 14th Annual Women´s run was held on June 21. Women af all ages from 90 locations in Iceland and from 10 locations abroad participated in the run.
June 24, 2003
The Invest in Your Bones report has been translated into Icelandic
On October 21. Beinvernd published Jean-PaulBonjour´s Invest in Your Bones report in Icelandic.
November 28, 2002
WOD 2002 in Iceland
Beinvernd launces its osteoporosis in the workplace campaign.
November 28, 2002
Former long-term health minister, Ms. Ingibjorg Palmadottir, becomes new patron of The Icelandic Osteoporosis Society
Beinvernd was honoured to welcome Ms Ingibjorg Palmadottir as its new patron. Ms. Palmadottir served as Minister of Health from April 1995 until February 2001.
 |
| Ms. Ingibjorg Palmadottir, the patron of Beinvernd, The Icelandic Osteoporosis Society, giving her speech at the press meeting on WOD 2001. |
No Icelandic Minister has ever served as Minister of Health for as long a period of time. In her political work Ms. Palmadottir actively promoted Beinvernd. She underwent bone density measurement in public and talked about osteoporosis as a serious health problem. Her presence at the World Osteoporosis Day press conference in October 2001 helped focus media attention on osteoporosis.
 |
| On WOD 2001, a calcium-rich lunch was held for the press. Both Ms Palmadottir and Dr. Olafur Olafsson, the founder of Beinvernd and former Director General of Health, were in attendance and spoke to the press. |
 |
| Beinvernd's new chairman, Dr. Bjorn Gudbjornsson, being interviewed at the press meeting on WOD October 20th 2001. |
December 31, 2001
