Related Experiment Videos
Osteoporosis risk in a home care setting
Joanna Smith1, Charles Inderjeeth, Gill Lewin
1Silver Chain Nursing Association, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. jmsmith@silverchain.org.au
Australasian Journal on Ageing
|July 2, 2009
Summary
Older home care clients exhibit numerous osteoporosis risk factors and fractures, yet most remain undiagnosed and untreated. This highlights a significant gap in osteoporosis assessment and management for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Bone Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Osteoporosis is a significant public health concern, particularly among older adults.
- Home care clients represent a population with potentially high prevalence of chronic conditions and frailty.
- Understanding the osteoporosis risk profile and fracture history in this group is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the osteoporosis risk profile of older individuals receiving home care services.
- To assess the prevalence of fractures and current osteoporosis treatment among these clients.
- To identify gaps in diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in the home care setting.
Main Methods:
- A random sample of 1500 home care clients was surveyed.
- A response rate of 58% (874 clients) was achieved.
- Data collected included self-reported fractures, osteoporosis risk factors, diagnosis, bone density testing, and referrals for assessment.
Main Results:
- Nearly all surveyed clients (99.7%) reported at least one osteoporosis risk factor.
- Over a third (37%) reported a history of at least one fracture.
- Despite high fracture rates and risk factors, only 28% had a reported osteoporosis diagnosis, and a minority (34.5%) of those with fractures were referred for assessment.
Conclusions:
- Older home care clients possess a high burden of osteoporosis risk factors and fractures.
- There is a substantial underdiagnosis and undertreatment of osteoporosis in this population.
- Urgent improvements in osteoporosis screening, diagnosis, and management are needed for home care clients.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone Disorders
Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Documentation in long-term care facilities and home healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive care for patients. Each setting has its specific documentation processes and tools:
Long-Term Care Facilities
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:40Bone Remodeling
Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
01:21Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Calcium is not only the most abundant mineral in bone but also the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium ions are needed for bone mineralization, tooth health, heart rate regulation and strength of contraction, blood coagulation, the contraction of smooth and skeletal muscle cells, and the regulation of nerve impulse conduction. The average calcium level in the blood is about 10 mg/dL. When the body cannot maintain this level, a person will experience hypo or hypercalcemia.
01:31Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling
Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...