Osteoporosis is a growing concern for an aging society. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of older adults who were at risk of osteoporosis and explore factors associated with osteoporosis. The relationship between the risk of osteoporosis, chronic conditions and disability was also explored. We hypothesized that respondents with high risk index of osteoporosis would be associated with greater disability. Participants aged 60 years and above (N = 2565) who were representative of Singapore's multiethnic population were recruited. The Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) was used to classify the risk of osteoporosis. Information on sociodemographic details and chronic diseases were collected, while severity of disability was measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. The overall prevalence of the respondents who were at risk of osteoporosis was 52%. Those belonging to an older age, Chinese, female, never married or widowed, lower education and retired were associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis. A diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension was a protective factor against the risk of osteoporosis. High risk of osteoporosis was not associated with disability. Our findings highlighted specific factors associated with the risk of osteoporosis that could be useful for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures.
Keywords: Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians; comorbidities; disability; osteoporosis.