Optimizing Strategies for Osteoporosis Diagnosis and Management in the Primary Care Setting

The availability of new drug treatments for osteoporosis has put increased pressure on family physicians to routinely screen patients at risk. Therefore family doctors, women, and health policy makers are facing key decisions regarding the management of osteoporosis. However, the information being provided to family physicians about who should be sent for a bone scan to detect osteoporosis and on the new treatment options is very confusing.

Susan Jaglal's research focuses on the best use of osteoporosis screening tools.

Based on our previous research we know that the probability of getting tested for osteoporosis depends on where you live. In some areas women may be tested unnecessarily and in other parts those who should be tested and treated are not.The goal of this research is to reduce these differences.

In our first research project in this series we asked family physicians about their information needs regarding managing osteoporosis. We asked them to give us suggestions about what would and would not work in a busy family practice.

The research from this project is now being used to design and test the suggested strategies to see if they really work to improve the management of osteoporosis.

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