title: Prevalence, awareness, and treatment of osteoporosis among Korean women: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the factors associated with the prevalence, awareness, and treatment of osteoporosis in a representative sample of Korean women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry measurement of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck, and from a standardized questionnaire in 2870 Korean women aged 50years and older who participated in the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2009. Osteoporosis was defined by World Health Organization T-score criteria, and awareness and treatment were defined by self-report of an osteoporosis diagnosis and self-report of current anti-osteoporotic medication use, respectively. We assessed the relationship between multiple risk factors and prevalence, awareness, and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Osteoporosis was reported in 39.1% of Korean women. Among those with osteoporosis, only 37.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 23.5% received pharmacological treatment. Despite higher prevalence among respondents who were older, of lower body weight, calcium intake, physical activity, and education levels, the awareness and treatment rates of these groups were similar or lower than that of the low-risk controls in multivariate logistic regression models. Moreover, easily identifiable risk factors (e.g., history of fracture, falls, height loss, familial osteoporosis) were not associated with awareness and treatment. Participants who had undergone health screening in the previous 2years exhibited increased awareness and treatment rates independently of other demographic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteoporosis was highly prevalent in this Korean study but was underdiagnosed and undertreated. Routine health screenings could be an effective strategy to increase osteoporosis awareness and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yunkeon-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyae Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kiheon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Seok Joong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soo Inn
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Daniel Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Durrance
authors.forename: Dahyun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sang Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001364:Awareness; D001519:Behavior; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors