While awareness of osteoporosis among the public and health professionals is growing, there is still work to be done to ensure that doctors and other health professionals are adequately prepared to advise patients on the best possible care for osteoporosis.
Presented today at the International Osteoporosis Foundation's (IOF) Worldwide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies in Beijing, the 2009 IOF-AMGEN Health Professional Awareness Grants aim to support innovative and cost effective projects by IOF member societies that focus on improving knowledge and raising awareness of osteoporosis among clinicians and allied health professionals.
The five grants, valued at 10,000 USD each, were awarded to the following IOF member societies:
Further information about the awards and the winning projects is available on the IOF website, www.iofbonehealth.org
About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, in which the bones become porous and break easily, is one of the world's most common and debilitating diseases. The result: pain, loss of movement, inability to perform daily chores, and in some cases, death. Worldwide, one out of three women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will one out of five men (1,2,3). Osteoporosis can, to a certain extent, be prevented, if it can be easily diagnosed and effective treatments are available. Nevertheless, osteoporosis often remains under-diagnosed and under-treated, leaving people at unnecessary risk of fracture.
About the International Osteoporosis Foundation
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to the worldwide fight against osteoporosis, the disease known as "the silent epidemic". IOF's members - scientific researchers, patient, medical and research societies and industry representatives from around the world - share a common vision of a world without osteoporotic fractures. IOF, with headquarters in Switzerland, currently includes 194 member societies in 92 countries, regions and territories. The Foundation works with its members to advance the understanding of osteoporosis and to promote prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease worldwide. Among its numerous programmes and activities, IOF mobilises the global osteoporosis movement on World Osteoporosis Day every year and organises the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis and the IOF World Wide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies every two years. For more information about IOF visit http://www.iofbonehealth.org
References
1. Melton U, Chrischilles EA, Cooper C et al. How many women have osteoporosis? Journal of Bone Mineral Research, 1992; 7:1005-10
2. Kanis JA et al. Long-term risk of osteoporotic fracture in Malmo. Osteoporosis International, 2000; 11:669-674
3. Melton LJ, et al. Bone density and fracture risk in men. JBMR. 1998; 13:No 12:1915