Achieving optimum peak bone mass during adolescence is crucial for lifetime bone health. This study is aimed at developing and assessing an e-book designed for adolescent bone health knowledge and osteoporosis education. A needs assessment was conducted among 43 adolescents, aged 13-16 years, living in urban areas in Malaysia to determine their needs and preference for health educational material. The researchers also searched for relevant guidelines and articles regarding adolescent bone health. Subsequently, an e-book was developed based on the needs assessment and literature search. Five expert panelists (mean work experience = 11.3 years) validated the e-book contents and assessed its understandability and actionability using the Patient Educational Materials Assessment Tool for Audio-Visual Material (PEMAT-A/V). The internet (72.1%), parents (44.2%), television (41.9%), and teachers (39.5%) were the top four sources of health information among the respondents. Magazines (4.6%) and newspapers (11.6%) were the least preferred resources. Most adolescents were interested in cartoon-themed educational materials, and they perceived that including a short video, quiz, and infographic in the educational material would make it much more interactive for users. The developed e-book includes seven infographic chapters, a link to a quiz, and a summary video. The topics cover basic information on bones and the formation and resorption processes, osteoporosis and its risk factors, key nutrients for bone health (calcium and vitamin D), along with their sources and recommended amounts, physical activity and exercise for bone health, and tips for healthy lifestyle practices for bone health. All chapters and the video were rated with a median score of 100% for understandability and actionability, respectively. Some of the comments received from evaluators included that the e-book made good use of infographics, was easy to understand and interesting, and contained well-organized content. Some suggestions for improvement included adding take-home messages relevant to the topic, using colors to highlight keywords, and narrating all points presented in the video. Overall, the newly developed e-book on adolescent bone health was highly rated by expert panelists. However, the acceptance and effectiveness of the e-book in increasing bone health and osteoporosis knowledge among adolescents are yet to be evaluated. The e-book could be used as one of the educational tools to promote bone health in adolescents.
Keywords: adolescents; bone health; e-book; education; osteoporosis.