Survey of risk factors for osteoporosis and osteoprotective behaviors among patients with epilepsy

•The majority of patients with epilepsy do not engage in bone-protective behaviors.•Undergoing a DXA scan was associated with calcium/vitamin D supplementation.•Many patients failed to accurately self-report DXA scan results.•Initiatives should be explored to improve bone-protective behaviors.

The prevalence of risk factors for osteoporosis in persons with epilepsy, patients' awareness of their risk, and their engagement in osteoprotective behaviors were assessed in this study. Two hundred and sixty patients with epilepsy (F = 51.5%, average age = 42) completed a survey tool. Of 106 patients with a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) result, 52% had low bone mineral density, and 11% had osteoporosis. The results suggest that the majority of patients with epilepsy do not engage in bone-protective behaviors. Those who have undergone a DXA scan may be more likely to take calcium and vitamin D supplementation compared with those who did not undergo a DXA scan, but they do not engage in other osteoprotective behaviors. Many patients did not accurately report their DXA results, indicating that better patient education is warranted.