Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the osteoporosis prevalence and risk factors among female students at Qassim University using this device.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study design using convenience sampling. The study was conducted on October 1 till 15 December among a total of 185 female students at Qassim University who were subjected to the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool to calculate the risk of low bone mineral density and the Ultrasound Bone Densitometer OsteoSy Sonost 2000.
Results: Most of the study participants, irrespective of whether they were categorized as having normal conditions or osteoporosis, had a normal body mass index ≤24.9: “Normal weight”. The average age of the study participants was 21 years. Only diagnoses with hyperthyroidism had a statistically significant finding (p-value = 0.003). It was found that 38.1% of women with osteoporosis were not on any medication. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 23.8%. After applying the synthetic minority over-sampling technique, the only statistically significant predictors of osteoporosis were a parent’s fractured hip [adjusted odds ratios (AdjOR) = 4.23, p = 0.045] and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (AdjOR = 3.49, p = 0.050).
Conclusion: This study found that 23.8% of young female students had low bone mineral density, highlighting a concerning prevalence of osteoporosis during the peak years of bone mass development. A parental history of hip fracture and a diagnosis of PCOS were significant predictors of osteoporosis, while previous fractures were not. These findings emphasize the need for early screening, awareness programs, and targeted preventive strategies among young women in Saudi Arabia.

Key words: Bone mineral density, FRAX, fractures, osteoporosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, Saudi Arabia