Personal and Societal Burden of Osteoporotic Fractures.

Osteoporosis is a common condition which mainly affects older individuals and is more common in women than in men. Rates vary significantly across the world with higher rates in Northern Europe, North America, and Australasia. There are also differences by country and sometimes on a more local level. This review describes the variation and explores how secular trends in fracture rates have changes over recent years and may alter in the future. Although overall rates tend to be increasing, due largely to an ageing population, age-specific rates appear to be declining in some areas. This has considerable importance for the socioeconomic burden of the disease in years to come. Osteoporotic fractures are associated with significant morbidity and in some cases mortality. Consequently, they often require hospital treatment and may lead to long-term institutional care. This leads not only to effects on the individual's quality of life but also to major health care and social costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]