 [ Symptoms ] why is osteoporosis an important public health issue [ Disease ] in the u s 44 million people have low bone density 10 million have osteoporosis and 34 million have osteopenia this amounts to 55 of the u s population aged 50 years and older one in two caucasian women will fracture a bone due to osteoporosis in her lifetime in the u s direct health care costs from osteoporosis fractures amount to a billion dollars without even taking into account the indirect costs such as lost days at work and productivity approximately 20 of those who experience a hip fracture will die in the year following the fracture one third of hip fracture patients are discharged to a nursing home within the year after fracture only one third of hip fracture patients regain their pre fracture level of function with the aging of america the number of people with osteoporosis related fractures will increase exponentially the pain suffering and overall impact on health and economic costs will be enormous