Objectives
Study the long term mortality after hip fracture in Oslo and the epidemiology and risk factors for male osteoporosis
Outcomes
Crude analyses show that mortality after hip fractures has increased from 1978 to 1997. Higher age at the time of fracture may provide one explanation for this observation. The excess mortality is further studied with standardized mortality ratios, and the results are soon to be published.
Background
The term “osteoporosis” is used to describe both the clinical end result (fracture) and the disorder in with a diminution of bone mass which increases the risk of fracture. Oslo has the highest incidence of hip fracture reported, and the costs for the Norwegian society were in 1995 estimated to 1.5 billion NOK annually. With the aging of the population, osteoporosis is increasing as a public health problem. Hence, knowledge concerning the current trends in hip fracture epidemiology has major implications for the planning of treatment capacity. Knowledge on risk factors for osteoporosis in men and women is valuable when developing strategies for prevention of osteoporotic fractures.