Osteoporosis prescribing trends in primary care: a population-based retrospective cohort study.
BACKGROUND
Osteoporosis is a highly prevalent and costly disease associated with aging. Previous studies have indicated low intervention rates in primary care; however, there is little research investigating the prescribing patterns of osteoporosis medications by primary-care physicians.


METHODS
We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to examine trends in osteoporosis medication utilization in primary care between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009 in Ontario, Canada. All Ontario residents aged 65 years or older and eligible for public health coverage were included in the analysis (∼1.46 million residents in 2000, ∼1.75 million residents in 2009).


RESULTS
Analysis of 10-year data indicates a trend toward higher utilization of osteoporosis medications among elderly primary-care patients. In 2000, 100 038 unique patients were prescribed an osteoporosis medication by a family physician; by 2009, this number increased to 301 679. Age-group analyses suggest an inverted U-shaped pattern, whereby utilization rates increase with advancing age and then decline for the oldest age groups. Utilization rates were the lowest for the 100+ age group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates increased utilization of osteoporosis-related medications among elderly primary-care patients over a recent 10-year time period. It is unclear whether the observed increase in utilization is due to higher rates of osteoporosis. Further research is needed to determine the appropriateness of this higher utilization.
Primary Care Research Unit, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Li
L
Wang
C
C
Shawn Tracy
Rahim
R
Moineddin
Ross E G
RE
Upshur
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates