Name of education programme
Invest In Your Bones

Originating organisation
Estonian Osteoporosis Society

Contact
Katre Maasalu
Puusepa 8
Tartu 51014

Description of the programme
Osteoporosis Week (16-20 October) was the main programme of the Estonian Osteoporosis Society in 2000. During Osteoporosis Week a number of education activities took place. Seminars for health care school teachers were organised, physical activity and healthy nutrition being the main topics. The seminars made special reference to bone diseases and strategies for avoiding them. A 25-minute video, in which doctors and patients provide information about risk factors and how to prevent osteoporosis, and publications, were produced to help teachers, doctors and nurses in educating patients. The video was distributed to 100 schools. Lectures and sessions of physical exercise were staged. TV clips and a special programme on osteoporosis were shown every day during the week on Estonian TV. Osteoporosis consulting rooms were made available in the three largest Estonian towns, where nurses with special training advised patients. Bone densitometry was available for those requesting it. All activities were free of charge.

Is the programme still running?
No

Target audience
Girls aged 7 upwards
Boys aged 7 upwards

Has the programme been approved by your scientific advisory committee?
Yes

What worked well
The programme worked very well. Well-defined teaching groups were key to the project. Activities were specifically targeted at the different groups – pre-teenage children, school teachers and adult patients. The size of children and school teachers' groups were kept small – 20-30. For the adult patients the individual nurse consultations were particularly effective and popular, especially among older adults.

What didn't work well
The many Russians in Estonia often have limited Estonian.

Type of information and material available
Posters
Leaflets
Video
Press releases

Are you willing to provide material and advice to other IOF members?
Yes

Languages in which the material is available
Estonian

Budget
US$10,000

Corporate sponsors
No

Other partners
International Osteoporosis Foundation MSD grant

Did the programme use celebrities, role models or mentors?
No

Is the programme suitable for other countries?
Yes

Page Top