[The silent disease: the quality of life of women with osteoporotic fracture].
For the past 5 years, the WHO has held World Osteoporosis Day on 20 10. This has highlighted the importance of preventing the disease. Osteoporosis has been called a silent disease. Fractures are the first sign to be noticed and the worst fracture is a hip fracture. The mortality rate associated with hip fracture is 15-36% which is higher than that for cancer victims in their first year as cancer sufferers. Half of those who survive face pain, disability and dependence. They also require the medical devices to assist activity throughout their life and have to live in nursing homes to receive care. This has a profound affect on the patient's health and quality of life. Assessment of quality of life has become a very important tool to evaluate patients with osteoporotic fracture. The advantages of such assessments include establishing the direction of treatment, promoting general quality of life, and reducing the risk of further fracture. A multidisciplinary approach is the best holistic strategy for combining medicine, nursing, nutrition, and rehabilitation to increase the general quality of life of women with osteoporotic fractures.
Chang
Shu-Fang
SF
School of Nursing, National Taipei College of Nursing, Taiwan, ROC. linda@mail1.ntcn.edu.tw
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications*; D011788:Quality of Life