Men slower to take action than women

Women are more likely than men to seek treatment for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has found.

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that leads to an increase risk of fracture. Similarly, osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving the degradation of joints.

The report, Population differences in health-care use for arthritis and osteoporosis in Australia, released last Friday (26 August 2011) reveals that when it comes to managing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, the level of inaction is significantly higher for men than women.

According to AIHW spokesperson, Dr Adrian Webster, this inaction includes not visiting a health professional, taking medications or making lifestyle changes.

The report suggests the result of this lack of action early in the disease progression by men is that they then require more drastic interventions, such as joint replacement.

Despite the tendency for the disease to be more severe in women, the rate of joint replacement surgery was lower for women than men with osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.

However, the report shows women with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher rate of joint replacement than men.

The report also shows rates of treatment vary depending on socioeconomic status.

“Complementary medicines are a common element of treatment for osteoarthritis but use of these medicines was 32% lower in the lowest socioeconomic group than in the highest,” Dr Webster says.

He says similar results were found for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, which may suggest that cost could be a “barrier” for some people.

Another AIHW report, also released last Friday (26 August 2011), examines the supply pattern of antiresorptives—medicines which can slow down the bone loss associated with osteoporosis. It shows the majority of people using this therapy between 2003 and 2007, were women aged 65 years of age and over.

The report, Use of antiresorptive agents for osteoporosis management, found in the first 12 months of therapy, two in five patients did not receive enough medication to receive the maximum benefit from the therapy.

It also revealed one quarter of the patients had stopped receiving antiresorptives by six months, and only one in 10 received the first supply; which suggest that a large proportion of patients are not receiving the full benefits of this type of therapy.