The potential effect on hip fracture incidence of mass screening for osteoporosis

Abstract

With ageing of the Australian population, treatment of osteoporosis‐related hip fractures will impose an increasing burden on the healthcare system. Based on current age‐adjusted hip fracture incidence and population projections for New South Wales, we estimated a 90% increase in hip fractures by the year 2021. Contributing significantly to this increase will be the number of men reaching the high risk age group for osteoporotic hip fractures. A suggested solution — screening and appropriate therapy for individuals at high risk of osteoporosis — may have only a modest impact. Our calculations show that, even with optimistic screening and therapy compliance rates, hip fractures could still increase by over 50%. Other approaches need to be further explored. Email: n.pocock@unsw.edu.au

Pelvic Fracture and Risk Factors for Mortality: A Population-Based Study in Taiwan

“…In the elderly, even a minor pelvic fracture may induce a catastrophic consequence. With the aging of the population, the treatment of osteoporosis-related fractures will increase the burden on healthcare systems [14]. National studies measuring the incidence of pelvic fracture and the risk factors of associated mor- tality are needed.…”

Reduction of Femoral Fractures in Long-Term Care Facilities: The Bavarian Fracture Prevention Study

“…Femoral fractures are one of the most important and frequent fall related injury in this group. In industrialized countries 20% to 30% of femoral fractures occur in nursing care facilities [2] and the rate of femoral fractures in institutions is about 10 times that in the community [3]. Up to now, community living older people have been the main target group of preventive efforts [4].…”

The effects of smoking on bone health

“…This healthcare burden will significantly increase worldwide over the next 20 years due to aging of the population. For example, in the most populous Australian state of New South Wales, the annual incidence of hip fractures in people aged 65 years or older is projected to increase from 5201 in 1994-1995 to over 9800 by the year 2021, an increase of over 90 % [7].…”