title: Changes in quality of life associated with fragility fractures: Australian arm of the International Cost and Utility Related to Osteoporotic Fractures Study (AusICUROS).
abstract: We investigated change in health-related quality of life due to fracture in Australian adults aged over 50 years. Fractures reduce quality of life with the loss sustained at least over 12 months. At a population level, the loss was equivalent to 65 days in full health per fracture.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to quantify the change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) that occurred as a consequence of a fracture using the EQ-5D-3 L questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults aged ≥50 years with a low to moderate energy fracture were recruited from eight study centres across Australia. This prospective study included an 18-month follow-up of participants recruited within 2 weeks of a fracture (hip, wrist, humerus, vertebral and ankle). Information collected at baseline and 4, 12 and 18 months included characteristics of participants such as income level, education and prior fracture status. At 12 months post-fracture, the cumulative loss of quality of life was estimated using multivariate regression analysis to identify the predictors of HRQoL loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean HRQoL for all participants before fracture was 0.86, with wrist fracture having the highest pre-fracture HRQoL (0.90), while vertebral fracture had the lowest (0.80). HRQoL declined to 0.42 in the immediate post-fracture period. Only participants with a wrist, humerus or ankle fracture returned to their pre-fracture HRQoL after 18 months. An increased loss of HRQoL over 12 months was associated with HRQoL prior to the fracture, hospitalisation, education and fracture site. The multiple regression explained 30 % of the variation in the cumulative HRQoL loss at 12 months post-fracture for all fractures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low to moderate energy fractures reduce HRQoL, and this loss is sustained for at least 12 months or, in the case of hip and spine fractures, at least 18 months. At a population level, this represents an average loss of 65 days in full health per fragility fracture. This significant burden reinforces the need for cost-effective fracture prevention strategies.
authors: Deakin Health Economics, Population Health Strategic Research Centre, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia. j.abimanyiochom@deakin.edu.au.
authors: J
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7252-109X
authors: J
authors: Abimanyi-Ochom
authors: Deakin Health Economics, Population Health Strategic Research Centre, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Watts
authors: LIME/MMC, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Borgström
authors: Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Science, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne-Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|Rural Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia.
authors: G C
authors: GC
authors: Nicholson
authors: Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Science, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne-Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Shore-Lorenti
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Stuart
authors: Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Science, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne-Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Iuliano
authors: Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Seeman
authors: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Prince
authors: Institute of Bone and Joint Research, University of Sydney-Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: March
authors: Institute of Bone and Joint Research, University of Sydney-Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cross
authors: Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, TAS, Australia.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Winzenberg
authors: Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, TAS, Australia.
authors: L L
authors: LL
authors: Laslett
authors: Ageing Bone Research Program, Sydney Medical School, Nepean Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Duque
authors: Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Science, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne-Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: P R
authors: PR
authors: Ebeling
authors: Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Science, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne-Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Ankle; Fracture; Health-related quality of life; Humeral; Prospective