Improving Rural Bone Health and Minimizing Fracture Risk in West Virginia: Validation of the World Health Organization FRAX Assessment Tool as a Phone Survey for Osteoporosis Detection

W V Med J. 2016 May-Jun;112(3):84-8.

Abstract

West Virginia ranks second nationally in population ≥ 65 years old placing our state at greater risk for osteoporosis and fracture. The gold standard for detecting osteoporosis is dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), yet over half of West Virginia's counties do not have this machine. Due to access barriers, a validated phone-administered fracture prediction tool would be beneficial for osteoporosis screening. The World Health Organization's FRAX fracture prediction tool was administered as a phone survey to 45 patients; these results were compared to DXA bone mineral density determination. Results confirmed that the FRAX phone survey is as reliable as DXA in detecting osteoporosis or clinically significant osteopenia: 92% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity when compared to the gold standard. These promising results allow for the development of telephone-based protocols to improve osteoporosis detection, referral and treatment especially in areas with health care access barriers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoporosis / complications
  • Osteoporosis / diagnosis*
  • Osteoporosis / epidemiology
  • Osteoporosis / therapy*
  • Osteoporotic Fractures / prevention & control*
  • Risk Assessment / methods*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*
  • Telephone
  • West Virginia / epidemiology