Prevalence of prevention and treatment modalities used in populations at risk of osteoporosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Determine prevalence of osteoporosis screening and prevention and modes of treatment in women older than 65 years at risk of osteoporosis. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of older female patients seeking osteoporosis screening in the community setting. RESULTS: 399 women at risk of low bone mineral density (BMD) underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scanning. Among participants younger than 65 years (n=52), low BMD was diagnosed in 44.2%; among participants older than 65 years (n=347), low BMD was diagnosed in 70.0%, a statistically significant difference (P=.001). CONCLUSION: From a community-level perspective, the authors have shown that osteoporosis screening at local senior centers, living facilities, and health fairs is an effective tool for identifying low BMD in women at high risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.