Each year, October 20 marks World Osteoporosis Day.
This day however, is celebrated as a month-long campaign involving International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) member societies in all regions, worldwide. Over the past two decades, this global occasion has grown in importance as the IOF and its more than 260 member societies reach out to patients, the public, healthcare professionals and policymakers alike. This important occasion offers a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on a disease which is plagued by neglect and costly inaction.
World Osteoporosis Day aims to:
- Increase awareness and understanding of osteoporosis and its need for prevention, including appreciation of the link between the underlying disease, and its resulting fractures;
- Impress upon all stakeholders, the burden of osteoporosis-related fractures; and
- Rally, and draw attention to the IOF member societies which support patient and health professional outreach at the local level.
This is accomplished through extensive media and social media outreach, local and regional events and campaigns, and a dedicated website housing World Osteoporosis Day resources, including posters, infographics and fact sheets to support local campaigns. The second edition of the IOF Compendium of Osteoporosis, which was issued last year, also acts as a key resource for World Osteoporosis Day. Needless to say, this year has heightened the need for social media, enabling us to harness new opportunities for message outreach.
While awareness and understanding is good – action is better. We know that 80 per cent of even those at highest risk of fracture, remain both undiagnosed and untreated. Our only hope of changing this unacceptable state of affairs is through direct action involving patients, doctors, medical organisations, and health care authorities. Although our World Osteoporosis Day 2020 campaign messages reinforce the importance of bone health for women, following a bone-healthy lifestyle (including good nutrition), and falls prevention, our campaign is primarily focusing on the following two specific ‘action points’:
- Driving public uptake of the IOF Osteoporosis Risk Check (available in 36 languages): The Risk Check alerts users to their potential risk factors, and encourages those who have identified risk factors, to seek a bone health assessment. In parallel, the personal impact and heavy burden of fractures on the lives of patients who have failed to receive timely diagnosis and treatment, is showcased by numerous patient stories and portraits. This year we are also highlighting the burden of osteoporosis on family carers whose support is so often needed after a patient sustains a debilitating fracture.
- Driving implementation of Post-Fracture Care Coordination Programs, such as Fracture Liaison Services (FLS): Today the IOF Capture the Fracture® Partnership is launching a new policy guide presenting a compelling argument for post-fracture care and describing the building blocks of an effective policy response. Through this report, and supporting social media messaging, the IOF is urging targeted, urgent action involving secondary fracture prevention.
IOF is inviting everyone with a commitment to bone health and fracture prevention, to participate in this year’s, and future World Osteoporosis Day campaigns, at a local, national and/or regional level. Whether performing a newspaper interview or a training event with young doctors, coordinating a social media campaign, or staging a broader public information event (hopefully possible next year!), there is much that can be done to raise awareness, improve understanding of, and drive action regarding osteoporosis prevention and the urgent need to improve patient outcomes.
“As a disease osteoporosis suffers from dangerous neglect. Despite its enormous burden to patients and their families, approximately 80% of even the highest risk patients who have already fractured are not receiving treatment,” said IOF President, Professor Cyrus Cooper.
“We urge health authorities to prioritise bone health and ensure effective post fracture care for all older adults who have sustained fractures. This is the key to reducing the burden of osteoporosis-related fractures on patients, their families and societies around the world.”
Together, we are loudly and clearly delivering these important messages today, #WorldOsteoporosisDay, with the one, unified global voice.
