Nof Releases Survey Showing Few Women Believe They Are at Risk for Osteoporosis, Despite Staggering Prevalence Numbers

Summary

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WASHINGTON, April 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Even though the majority of women aged 45 and older have at least two risk factors for osteoporosis, only 15 percent of those women not diagnosed by a doctor believe they are at risk for the disease, according to a new survey conducted by Roper Public Affairs and Media on behalf of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF).

NOF prevalence estimates show the number of women age 50 and older who have osteoporosis or are at risk for developing the disease will increase from almost 30 million in 2002 to over 35 million in 2010. Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a devastating disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist, although any bone can be affected. The survey tested women's knowledge of osteoporosis, the actions they take to keep bones healthy, their overall concerns about aging, the information sources they rely on and their perception of personal risk of developing osteoporosis. The survey was funded as part of a grant that NOF received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging.

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Extract

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Nof Releases Survey Showing Few Women Believe They Are at Risk for Osteoporosis, Despite Staggering Prevalence Numbers

"Women need to know their health risk for osteoporosis and what they can do to prevent the disease," said Josefina G. Carbonell, Assistant Secretary for Aging. "While we know t...

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