Stronger than Sticks and Stones: Promoting Women’s Bone Health through Preventive Care

Approximately 54 million Americans have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis and bone fracture. Risk of bone fracture is higher in women compared to men, in part, due to the influence of the hormone estrogen. Throughout a woman’s life, estrogen has important bone building function that is compromised when its production significantly reduces after menopause. Approximately half of all women over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis, and in older adults, complications related to a broken bone can be life threatening and result in the need for long-term nursing care. The screening recommendation for bone mineral density at age 65 and older for women makes it challenging to identify bone disease early enough to maximize preventive care. Shifting from a reactive break-and-fix model to one that centers around predictive and preventive bone health and wellness could substantially decrease the clinical and public health burden of bone fractures and diseases.

SWHR hosted a virtual public forum to discuss women’s bone health, the experiences of women living with osteoporosis, and how to navigate access and management of care.

This public forum is a follow-up to SWHR’s Bone Health Roundtable held in April 2022 that sought to identify gaps in research, clinical practice, policy, and education.

Follow the conversation on Twitter at @SWHR and #SWHRtalksBoneHealth.

This event is free and open to the public.