Bones and budgets.

• Position: TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS - Brief article

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An estimated 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones and joints through decreased bone mass. Caucasian, Asian, elderly and petite post-menopausal women are at the greatest risk; 80 percent of Americans with the disease are women. The greatest risks associated with osteoporosis are bone fractures, especially at the hip, wrist and spine.

Bone fractures are costly to the patient, public insurance programs and taxpayers. According to the National Institutes of Health, osteoporosis accounts for approximately $14 billion in direct costs for fractures annually. If caught early, however, osteoporosis can be treated or even prevented.

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