Are Men at High Risk for Osteoporosis Underscreened? A Quality Improvement Project

Osteoporosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both men and women. The mortality rate in men within 1 year of hip fracture is 37.5%, which is 51% higher than in women. Although clear guidelines exist for osteoporosis screening in women, these are less clear for men. The available guidelines recommend screening high-risk men; however, screening does not appear to be a standard practice.

To increase screening rates of osteoporosis in high-risk men in our primary care clinic by 50%.

The screening rate of osteoporosis was determined in high-risk male veterans more than 50 years of age enrolled in the resident physician- and nurse practitioner-staffed primary care clinics at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. High-risk factors included prolonged use of steroids; hypogonadism; and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus, which are known to be associated with osteoporosis. We surveyed health care professional trainees and nurses to explore their barriers to screening for osteoporosis in high-risk men.

After creating awareness about the importance of this condition among the health care professionals, we analyzed whether this education had any impact on the screening rate.

The baseline screening rate in high-risk men was 11%. After phased surveys and awareness building, the screening rate increased to 20%.

Osteoporosis in high-risk men is under-screened. Creating more awareness about the impact of this condition among health professional trainees and nurses can lead to improved screening rates.