Closing the Care Gap: Barriers and solutions for global access to osteoporosis management

Access to optimal bone health management is highly variable across the world. Within Europe, for example, on average, 71% of older women at high fracture risk do not receive appropriate assessment and treatment to improve their bone health. Across the world, differences are even more stark with access particularly scarce in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC).

It has been estimated that there are 37 million fractures worldwide each year in those over 55 years old. Whilst age- and sex-specific rates of hip fracture have plateaued, or are even declining, in some higher income populations, incidence rates appear to be rising in many LMIC.

In this lecture, Professor Nicholas Harvey presents the key findings from the IOF’s latest position paper, examining the current barriers to optimal fracture risk management worldwide. He also discusses potential solutions that could be implemented to overcome these challenges. 
 

Key Learning Objectives of this lecture include:

• Understanding the evolution of osteoporosis diagnosis and management
• Reviewing the gaps and barriers in fracture risk management worldwide
• Identifying solutions to achieve equitable global access to bone health management