Why is osteoporosis an important public health issue?
• In the U.S., 44 million people have low bone density (10 million have osteoporosis and 34 million have osteopenia). This amounts to 55% of the U.S. population aged 50 years and older. • One in two Caucasian women will experience a bone fracture due to osteoporosis in her lifetime. • In the U.S., direct health-care costs from osteoporosis fractures amount to a billion dollars, without even taking into account the indirect costs, such as lost days at work and productivity. • Approximately 20% of those who experience a hip fracture will die in the year following the fracture. • One-third of hip-fracture patients are discharged to a nursing home within the year after fracture. • Only one-third of hip-fracture patients regain their pre-fracture level of function. With the aging of America, the number of people with osteoporosis-related fractures will increase exponentially. The pain, suffering, and overall impact on health and economic costs will be enormous.
