Osteoporosis in urban post-menopausal women of the Philippines: prevalence and risk factors

Summary The prevalence of osteoporosis was assessed among post-menopausal women dwelling in an urban community of Davao, Philippines using quantitative ultrasonic bone densitometry and its predictors were investigated. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 19.8%. Advancing age, lower body weight, and higher educational attainment were identified as the independent predictors of osteoporosis. Introduction This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of osteoporosis among post-menopausal women dwelling in an urban community of the Philippines and investigated the risk factors for osteoporosis using a quantitative ultrasonic bone densitometer. Methods The study site was an area with high population density in Davao, the Philippines. Data collection was based on a structured questionnaire interview, and measurements of body size and speed of sound (SOS) at the calcaneus. The SOS T-score was calculated using the young adult mean (YAM) SOS based on data from 905 women aged 20 years and over residing in the community. The data for 339 post-menopausal women were analyzed to identify the prevalence of osteoporosis and its predictors in this study. The predictors of osteoporosis were determined by logistic regression analysis. Results The majority of the women lived on low-incomes. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 19.8% in postmenopausal women. Age in 1 year increments (odds ratio [OR] 1.168), body weight (OR 0.954), and duration of education in years (OR 1.132) were predictors of osteoporosis. Conclusions This study identified body weight as a modifiable risk factor of osteoporosis for post-menopausal women. Longitudinal observation of the same participants will be necessary to confirm these findings.