Osteoporosis, (bone) fractures and fracture liaison services: health-related quality of life, clinical and economic outcomes

This thesis aims to summarize current evidence relevant to osteoporosis management and to study the clinical and economic outcomes of fracture liaison service (FLS). It suggests that anti-osteoporosis medications are a good way of allocating resources and that FLS is associated with clinical and economic benefits. This thesis also highlights the necessity of increasing the awareness of osteoporosis in both lay and healthcare spheres, the importance of effective communication (using a patient-centered approach) to make patients understand their fracture risk and better adhere to therapy, and the benefits of widely implementing FLS and optimizing the quality of the FLS. The information this thesis provides would be useful for decision-makers (e.g. payers, politicians, clinicians, or other members of decision-making boards) in the healthcare setting. With this information, decision-makers can introduce some positive initiatives in clinical practice to identify more patients at risk of fracture, get more patients treated and adhered to therapy, stimulate policy or financial incentives aiming to support and optimize the osteoporosis management and FLS implementation, lower the fracture risk, and reduce clinical and financial burden.