Steps to Strengthen America’s Seniors: How Preventing Osteoporosis Helps America’s Health System

Osteoporosis is a disease that decreases bone mineral density and mass, causing the bones to become weak and brittle. Affecting about 45 million Americans, osteoporosis is common – but it is more common in women (women account for 80% of the estimated 10 million Americans age 50 and older with osteoporosis). One in two women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Osteoporosis is also costly. Each year, it is responsible for 2 million broken bones and $19 billion in related costs, with implications for rehabilitation and long-term care.

In May, National Osteoporosis Month, the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), in partnership with the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) and the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), hosted a national webinar and congressional briefing to discuss osteoporosis and its disproportionate impact on women as well as its impact on society. During this briefing, panelists discussed the importance of elevating conversations surrounding bone health; ensuring sufficient research funding; and driving policy change to improve access to appropriate bone health screening, including DXA screenings, and treatment to ensure better health outcomes.