A comprehensive study led by the University of Galway and conducted in collaboration with an international research team has unveiled startling statistics regarding osteoporosis in Ireland. The research highlights that between 300,000 and 500,000 individuals, both men and women, are currently living with osteoporosis in the country.
Osteoporosis is a condition that renders bones brittle, often leading to skeletal complications. The report emphasises that half of all women, as well as one in four men aged 50 and above, will experience an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime.
In light of these findings, experts in academia and clinical practice are advocating for the establishment of a national osteoporosis care programme as a matter of top priority.
The research also underscores the significant risks associated with osteoporosis, noting that “a postmenopausal woman’s annual risk of fracture is greater than her combined risk of stroke, heart attack, invasive breast cancer, and death from heart disease.” Despite the disease’s considerable impact on health, mortality, and economic costs—comparable to cardiovascular disease and cancer—osteoporosis often remains underappreciated, leading to inadequate care.
The study, based on two decades of health service data in Ireland, reveals that over 50,000 osteoporotic fractures occur annually in the country. Shockingly, one in three men and one in five women do not survive beyond one year after experiencing a hip fracture.
The number of osteoporosis-related deaths in Ireland is reported to be on par with, or even surpass, the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19.
Alarmingly, only one-fifth of individuals admitted to public hospitals for osteoporotic fractures receive a diagnosis or treatment for osteoporosis.
Furthermore, over one million people in Ireland exhibit low bone mineral density, significantly increasing their fracture risk.
The survey also highlights that while men have a lower risk of fracture, they account for nearly one-third of public hospital admissions due to osteoporotic fractures in Ireland. Additionally, fractures rank as a leading cause of prolonged stays in nursing homes.
To combat this public health crisis, clinicians, computer scientists, and engineers at the University of Galway are employing dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technology to measure bone density and develop innovative screening and testing strategies for early osteoporosis identification.
Professor John Carey, Professor in Medicine at the University of Galway, emphasises the crucial role of early detection and the need for improved resource allocation to benefit those at the highest risk, thereby preventing fractures and achieving substantial cost savings. However, despite Ireland’s high incidence of osteoporotic fractures, the country currently lacks a national programme addressing this pressing issue. Professor Carey argues that such a programme would greatly enhance care and necessitate urgent attention and prioritisation.
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