title: Disparities in bone density measurement history and osteoporosis medication utilisation in Swiss women: results from the Swiss Health Survey 2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although factors associated with the utilisation of bone density measurement (BDM) and osteoporosis treatment have been regularly assessed in the US and Canada, they have not been effectively analysed in European countries. This study assessed factors associated with the utilisation of BDM and osteoporosis medication (OM) in Switzerland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Swiss Health Survey 2007 data included self-reported information on BDM and OM for women aged 40 years and older who were living in private households. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify sociodemographic, socioeconomic, healthcare-related and osteoporosis risk factors associated with BDM and OM utilisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lifetime prevalence of BDM was 25.6% (95% CI: 24.3-26.9%) for women aged 40 years and older. BDM utilisation was associated with most sociodemographic factors, all the socioeconomic and healthcare-related factors, and with major osteoporosis risk factors analysed. The prevalence of current OM was 7.8% (95% CI: 7.0-8.6%) and it was associated with some sociodemographic and most healthcare-related factors but only with one socioeconomic factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Swiss women, ever having had a BDM and current OM were low and utilisation disparities exist according to sociodemographic, socioeconomic and healthcare-related factors. This might foster further health inequalities. The reasons for these findings should be addressed in further studies of the elderly women, including those living in institutions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Bern University, Switzerland. born.mph@bluewin.ch
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Born
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zwahlen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents