J Korean Med Assoc.  2016 Nov;59(11):836-841. 10.5124/jkma.2016.59.11.836.

Epidemiology of osteoporosis in Korea

• Ha YC

• KMID: 2358430
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2016.59.11.836

Abstract

The aging of the Korean population is expected to increase the prevalence of osteoporosis and related fractures. This study aimed to perform an intensive review of osteoporosis and related fractures in Korea during the last decade. Although direct comparison of the prevalence of osteoporosis reported in different studies is difficult, the prevalence of osteoporosis reported in the last decade has ranged from 6.1% in men and 24.3% in women to 13.1% in men and 35.5% in women in studies of Korean populations. According to reimbursement records from the National Health Insurance Servicesdatabase in 2012, the incidence and mortality of osteoporotic fracture including in the spine, hip, distal radius, and proximal humerus are 655.4/100,000 and 7.0%, 171.3/100,000 and 16%, 474.1/100,000 and 1.7%, and 90.9/100,000 and 7.0%, respectively. The numbers and incidence of hip and spine fracture were trending upward during the study period. However, mortality from osteoporotic fractures was steady or trended downward. Gender-specific assessment showed that although the incidence of osteoporotic fracture in men is less than in women, the mortality of men after osteoporotic fracture ranged from 1.4- to 2.2- fold that of women. Our review of epidemiologic studies regarding osteoporosis and related fractures demonstrated that Korea is a country with increasing trends of osteoporosis and related fractures. Therefore, a public health strategy for treating osteoporosis and preventing osteoporotic fracture is mandatory.

Keyword

Osteoporosis; Osteoporotic fractures; Incidence; Mortality; Korea

MeSH Terms

Aging
Epidemiologic Studies
Epidemiology*
Female
Hip
Humans
Humerus
Incidence
Korea*
Male
Mortality
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1
National Health Programs
Osteoporosis*
Osteoporotic Fractures
Prevalence
Public Health
Radius
Spine

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