World Osteoporosis Day 2008
Stand Tall - Speak out for your bones!
World Osteoporosis Day calls on government health officials across all regions to recognize osteoporosis as a health priority; spread the message that more needs to be done by national governments and health insurers to promote early detection and offer reimbursement of much needed therapy for those with osteoporosis; and to call on individuals to take responsibility for their bone health and to support the work and advocacy efforts of their national osteoporosis societies.
Download World Osteoporosis Day 2008 thematic report
"Stand Tall, Speak Out: Take action to promote osteoporosis policy change"
Calling for change
Osteoporotic fractures are a major cause of suffering, disability and death in the older population and their costs to healthcare services exceed those of many other major chronic diseases. Furthermore, because of the increasing number of elderly people in the population, the number of fractures due to osteoporosis is set to increase two- to three-fold over the next few decades. This imminent increase in the number of people affected poses a major challenge to healthcare systems throughout the world. Read more facts and statistics on osteoporosis.
Despite significant advances in science and medicine, the reality today is that:
- Between twelve to twenty percent of people die within one year following a hip fracture.
- It is estimated that 80% of those who are at high risk of osteoporosis, and have suffered at least one fracture, have neither been identified nor treated for the disease.
- Many national governments do not treat osteoporosis as a major health priority and fail to provide adequate resources for its detection and treatment.
- Many health insurance schemes (private and public) will not cover diagnosis and treatment prior to the first fracture – even when it is cost effective to do so.
