[Use of resources and costs associated to fractures in Spanish women]

The objective of the study was to determine the use of resources and costs due to bone fractures in Spanish women above 50 years of age in the population scope. An observational and retrospective study was conducted in six primary care centers and two urban hospitals in Spain. Socio-demographic and co-morbidity data, use of resources (primary care consultations, complementary tests, medications, specialized care, hospitalizations, visits, urgencies), costs and productivity losses were registered. Records of 19 022 women were included, 7% showed some type of fracture between 2003 and 2007. Fractures were mostly associated with osteoporosis (OR: 3.2), fibromyalgia (OR: 2.4) and thyroid changes (OR: 2.2). In the corrected model, the total cost for patients who had a fracture was USD 3727 compared to USD 2705.5 (p<0.001) for those who did not have it. Patients with a fracture generate a greater use of resources, sanitation costs and work productivity losses.