Osteoporosis risk assessment and management in primary care: focus on quantity and quality

Early identification of high-risk patients by general practitioners (GPs) plays the key role in the management of osteoporosis (OP).

We conducted a postal questionnaire survey among 1500 Czech GPs to examine their behaviour related to OP.

The overall questionnaire return rate was 38%. The respondents (mean age 52 years; 61.5% women) did not differ from non-respondents. OP knowledge correlated negatively with age (P<0.001). The most common reason for both suspicion of OP and referral for suspected OP is the patient's complaints. When the initial skeletal examination for suspected OP is conducted on the GP's initiative, it is most often X-ray (76%) followed by osteodensitometry (61%). The respondents address five patients (median) per month about this issue. The number of referrals to a specialist for suspected OP during the last quarter was 5 (median). The most commonly reported barriers to OP management were financial limits set by the health insurance agency (71%) and lack of authorization to prescribe selected drugs (71%).

The GPs should pay greater attention to risk factors and be more active in the detection of at-risk patients. It is necessary to motivate the GPs and to overcome the barriers to effective clinical practice.