March 3, 2005
Bone density testing linked to lower fracture rates, Group Health study finds
Seattle—Offering bone density testing to women aged 60 and older as part of a comprehensive fracture prevention program can significantly reduce the total number of fractures in that population, according to a study published in the March 2005 issue of the journal Medical Care.
Led by researchers from Group Health Cooperative, the study evaluated the impact of three different fracture prevention strategies involving various levels of screening and education among more than 9,000 women, aged 60 to 80. The researchers found that offering bone density testing to all women in a program, regardless of their risk, resulted a fracture rate that was 19 percent lower than offering testing only to high-risk women. The study also found that bone density testing was linked to a reduction in some fracture risk factors and a better understanding of osteoporosis.
"It's not the bone density test itself that makes the difference," said Andrea Z. LaCroix, PhD, senior investigator at Group Health Center for Health Studies and the principal investigator on the study. "But the test appears to heighten women's awareness of bone health." It provides "a teachable moment for women" to get personalized feedback about their risk factors, education about osteoporosis, and consultation with their doctor, she added. "These are all important components of an effective fracture prevention program."
While past studies have shown a positive link between bone density testing and higher rates of drug therapy for osteoporosis treatment and prevention, this is the first large-scale study to show that bone density testing is linked to a reduction in fractures.
Finding effective strategies for reducing fractures is an important public health issue, the authors note. They point to an October 2004 report from the U.S. Surgeon General that set specific goals for Americans to improve bone health, in order to reduce fracture rates in the U.S. population by 2010. The authors noted that in 1999, nearly 300,000 hip fractures occurred among Americans aged 65 and older. Hip fractures are a significant cause of death and disability, and cost an estimated $8.7 million in health care annually in the United States.
"These findings will hopefully promote the implementation of effective fracture prevention programs in health care organizations that serve millions of older women in our country who are at risk of fracture," said LaCroix. The study results also support the recent U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations that all women aged 65 and older be screened routinely for osteoporosis, the authors note.
To reduce fracture risk, women in the program were encouraged to:
- Exercise regularly
- Eat foods rich in calcium and Vitamin D
- Avoid smoking
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Consult with a doctor, if in a high-risk group
More information about bone health is available at: www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/bonehealth/factsheet3.htm
The study was funded by a grant from Merck & Co., Inc. Other investigators on the study were Diana S.M. Buist, PhD, of Group Health Center for Health Studies; Susan K. Brenneman, PT, PhD, and Thomas A. Abbott III, PhD, of the Outcomes Research & Management Division at Merck & Co., Inc.
Group Health Center for Health Studies
Founded in 1947, Group Health Cooperative is a Seattle-based, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Group Health Cooperative is ranked "Highest in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Northwest Region" by J.D. Power and Associates. For 25 years, the Group Health Center for Health Studies has conducted research on preventing, diagnosing, and treating major health problems. Government and private research grants provide its main funding.