| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2663619 | The Journal for Nurse Practitioners | 2014 | 5 Pages |
•There are over 44 million adults over age 50 who have or are at risk for osteoporosis, and this number will double by the year 2025. (1)•Only 15% of hip fracture patients can walk across a room unaided after 6 months, and 1 in 5 previously independent patients will need long term care. (1,4)•Providers identify lack of time, lack of charting short cuts, and lack of prevention-only visits as reasons that osteoporosis prevention (OP) doesn't occur regularly.•Use of tools such as computerized prompts, risk assessment tools such as the FRAX tool, and prescription pads with OP recommendations increases provision of OP by busy providers.
Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone health issue for the elderly in the United States, creating huge economic, social, and emotional burdens in our older population. Despite proven strategies to prevent osteoporosis, primary care providers do not provide adequate osteoporosis prevention education. To address this problem, an evidence-based osteoporosis prevention intervention project was implemented to increase osteoporosis prevention education by providers at an urban community clinic. A preintervention and 6-month postintervention chart review showed significant improvement in osteoporosis risk assessment with recommendations for calcium/vitamin D as well as small gains in education on lifestyle modification.
