National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist

Effectiveness of Care
Findings
Prevention: Osteoporosis Screening Among Older Women
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by loss of bone tissue. Osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures of
the hip, spine, and wrist. About half of all postmenopausal women will experience an osteoporotic fracture.
Osteoporotic fractures cause considerable morbidity and mortality. For example, of patients with hip
fractures, one-fifth will die during the first year, one-third will require nursing home care, and only one-third
will return to the functional status they had before the fracture. The remaining 13 percent have other
outcomes (Lane, 2006).
Because older women are at highest risk for osteoporosis, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
recommends routine osteoporosis screening of women age 65 and over. Women with low bone density can
reduce their risk of fracture and subsequent functional impairment by taking appropriate medications and
engaging in weight-bearing exercise (USPSTF, 2002).
Figure 2.35. Female Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and over who reported ever being screened for
osteoporosis with a bone mass or bone density measurement, by race/ethnicity and income, 2000-2008
100
80
Total
White
Black
Hispanic
100
80
Poor
Low Income
Middle Income
High Income
Chapter 2 Musculoskeletal Diseases
60
60
Percent
40
Percent
40
20
20
0
2000
2003
2006
2008
0
2000
2003
2006
2008
Source: Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 2000-2008.
Denominator: Female Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and over living in the community.
Note: White and Black groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes all races.
n From 2000 to 2008, the percentage of female Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and over who reported
ever being screened for osteoporosis with a bone mass or bone density measurement increased from
34% to 71% (Figure 2.35). Improvements were observed among all racial/ethnic and income groups.
n In all years, Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black women were less likely to be screened for
osteoporosis than non-Hispanic White women.
National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2011
99