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The Prevalence of Osteoporosis among Diverse Older Women: An Ecological Research Approach
Author(s) -
Taylor Christopher Alan,
Evans Kevin David
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a674
Subject(s) - osteoporosis , medicine , national health and nutrition examination survey , demography , gerontology , poverty , environmental health , population , sociology , economics , economic growth
To examine an ecological model on the prevalence of osteoporosis in older women, we examined data from the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). White American (WA, n=1,084), African American (AA, n=328) and Hispanic American (HA, n=462) women over 60 years of age were compared across sociodemographic and lifestyle factors related to risk for osteoporosis. WA women were more likely to be married than AA and HA women (P<.001). Though HA women were more likely to have financial (P=.003) and emotional (P=.04) support, they were less likely than WA and AA to own their own home (P=.006), had the lowest poverty‐to‐income ratio and more likely to exhibit food insecurity (P<.001). HA and MA were also less likely to have health insurance coverage (P=.002). Calcium intakes differed across all races. Rates of diagnosed osteoporosis and fragility fractures were similar between HA and WA women, though lower in BA women (P<.001). More research is needed to evaluate the interaction of race and the various sociodemographic and lifestyle behaviors that pose increased risk in the development of osteoporosis in older women.