Deciding to Take Osteoporosis Medication After a Fracture
Author Information
Author(s): Joanna EM Sale, Monique A Gignac, Gillian Hawker, Lucy Frankel, Dorcas Beaton, Earl Bogoch, Victoria Elliot-Gibson
Primary Institution: Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hypothesis
What factors influence the decision-making process for patients prescribed osteoporosis medication after a fracture?
Conclusion
Many older patients find the decision to take osteoporosis medication challenging and often reconsider their choices over time.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients' values and preferences are often overlooked in osteoporosis treatment decisions.
- Many patients reported that their decision to take medication was influenced by their trust in their healthcare provider.
- Almost half of the participants found the decision to take medication difficult and not permanent.
Takeaway
When older people break a bone, deciding whether to take medicine to help their bones can be really hard, and they might change their minds later.
Methodology
A phenomenological qualitative study with semi-structured interviews of patients aged 65+ who had sustained a fragility fracture.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on patient self-reporting and lack of corroborating information from healthcare providers.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data and did not track patients' decision-making over time.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 65-88, with 6 males and 15 females, all having low bone mass.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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