Standardized rates of hip fracture have steadily declined in Canada since 1985, with a more rapid decline between 1996 and 2005 and a more marked decrease among individuals age 55 to 64 years, according to a report in the August 26 issue of JAMA.
Osteoporosis is a common bone-thinning disease that predisposes individuals to fractures, according to background information in the article. "Because the prevalence of osteoporosis increases with age, the global burden of osteoporosis is projected to rise markedly over the next few decades as the number of elderly individuals increases," the authors write. "The incidence of hip fractures is an index of osteoporosis burden and the potential impact of preventive efforts in the population."
William D. Leslie, M.D., M.Sc., of the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, and colleagues analyzed nationwide hospitalization data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information for 1985 to 2005. A total of 570,872 individuals were hospitalized for hip fracture during this time period.
Over the 21 years, age-adjusted rates of hip fracture declined 31.8 percent in females and 25 percent in males. The largest percentage decrease was observed among individuals age 55 to 64 years; hip fracture rates decreased by almost one-half in females and about one-third in males in this age range. Detailed analyses identified a more rapid decline beginning around 1996. "For the overall population, the average age-adjusted annual percentage decrease in hip fracture rates was 1.2 percent per year from 1985 to 1996 and 2.4 percent per year from 1996 to 2005," the authors write.