Men's perceptions of living with osteoporosis: a systematic review of qualitative studies

Background One in five men will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. However, osteoporosis is widely perceived as a women's disease and few studies focus specifically on men. Our objective was to identify qualitative evidence to understand men's perceptions of osteoporosis and fracture. Methods We conducted a systematic review following standardized guidelines. We identified qualitative studies that included men aged 18 years and over using the terms: osteoporosis, fragility or low-trauma fracture, bone health; and perceptions or experiences with osteoporosis and fractures. We appraised the quality of data and used a meta-aggregative approach to synthesize findings. Results We identified four publications, based on three studies (n = 61 participants); one of the publications was a secondary analysis. The following themes were developed from the literature: (1) perceived healthcare gap for men; (2) strong focus on women, with a need for support from spouses and health professionals; and (3) three general responses to men's osteoporosis self-management: limiting lifestyle, minimizing importance of diagnosis, and risk taking. Conclusions The most striking finding from this review was the lack of available qualitative evidence. However, it emerged that the present focus of osteoporosis as a women's disease may influence how men develop self-management strategies. These data highlight the need to include men in future osteoporosis health-related conversations and interventions. Systematic review registration CRD42018093999.