title: Use of decision rules for osteoporosis prevention and treatment: implications for nurse practitioners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the current literature regarding the benefits of bone mineral density (BMD) screening and to discuss clinical decision rules for BMD screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extensive review of the scientific literature regarding osteoporosis, BMD screening, and current clinical decision rules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by deterioration of bone and increased susceptibility to fractures, crippling, and disfigurement. BMD testing is the best predictor for osteoporosis and associated fractures; however, routine global BMD testing is cost-prohibitive. A need exists for a selective and practical clinical decision rule for referral for testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several effective clinical decision rules are presented, and their uses and applications are described. The osteoporosis self-assessment tool is recommended by the authors because of its predictive power and ease of use.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Related Professions, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anders
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Lorraine Silver
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment