Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify how the symptoms of osteoporosis, such as lumbargo, shortening of body height, kyphosis, numbness in the leg, and decrease in the walking distance, affect the patients psychological aspects. Three hundreds seventy six patients with osteoporosis, attending osteoporosis clinics treated as outpatients basis were subjected. Self-reported questionnaire was used to detect the psychological affects, which was evaluated with Zung's Self-rating Depresstion Scale (SDS), Koyano's Life Satisfaction Index K (LSIK), and Yamato's Self-Esteem Scale (SES). The incidence of lumbargo, shortening of body height, kyphosis, numbness in the leg, and the walking distance less than 900m was 64.4%, 79.3%, 50.0%, 24.0%, and 41.8%, respectively. In conclusion, the patients with the symptoms mentioned above tended to be depressed and associated with low life satisfaction. The patients with deformity, such as shortening of body height or kyphosis, and inability, such as decrease in the walking distance tended to be reduced in self-esteem.
