Grant: New Investigator Award-PA: Community-based Primary Health Care

A fragility fracture is one that occurs after a slip, trip, or fall from standing height or less (for example, slipping on ice and breaking a wrist). In general, this type of fracture predicts future fractures and is a sign of poor bone health that requires treatment. Treatment, which includes vitamin D, calcium, and often medication, is known to reduce the chance (or risk) of future fractures. However, fracture patients often do not receive or follow recommendations for bone health treatment. There are many possible reasons for this. One reason may be that the concept of fracture risk is new and patients and health care providers are not familiar with the levels of risk. Another reason may be that patients who need bone heath treatment have other conditions that are perceived to be more serious and compete for their attention. The proposed research aims to study these reasons in order to understand how we can encourage individuals to follow treatment recommendations for bone health after they have had a fracture. Ultimately, this research will inform the development of future programs to improve bone health. For example, programs might address how we communicate fracture risk to patients or what advice we give to patients who have several chronic conditions. It is important that patients who have had a fragility fracture be treated for their bone health because appropriate treatment could prevent future fractures such as hip fractures; this will alleviate fracture-related health care costs in Canada including admissions to hospitals, extended care facilities, and nursing homes.