The Differences of Osteoporosis Awareness and its Association with 10-Year Fracture Risks Between Female Breast Cancer Survivors Before and After the Menopause Age

Background: To compare the osteoporosis awareness and its association with 10-year fracture risks between young and old breast cancer survivors. Methods: During the 2011 “Pink October” campaign hosted by the Taiwan Breast Cancer Alliance and the Taiwanese Osteoporosis Association, questionnaires on osteoporosis awareness and FRAX® variables were distributed. Data from participants ≥40 years of age (N=807) were analyzed. Comparisons were made between those below and above 50 years of age, also among different tertiles of predicted fracture risk groups. Results: Mean age was 56.0±7.7 years. Only half (52.7%) showed a high level of osteoporosis awareness. Older survivors were more likely to exhibit higher awareness levels (55.0% vs. 44.8%; p < 0.05). Moreover, osteoporosis awareness increased among higher predicted 10-year major osteoporosis fracture risk groups. Older survivors (age ≥50 years) also had a higher body mass index, higher prevalence of secondary osteoporosis, and higher predicted 10-year fracture risk (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Osteoporosis awareness levels were higher among older and higher fracture risk breast cancer survivors. Educational program and osteoporosis prevention strategies may start with younger and lower facture risk breast cancer survivors to increase the awareness in order to reduce under-managements of osteoporosis. Biography Chiung-Jung Wen is an attending physician in the Departement of Geriatric and Gerontology in National Taiwan University Hospital. She completed her PhD training in the Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health of National Taiwan University in Jan 2015. Currently, she is the secretary general of Taiwan Health Evaluation and Promotion Association and also the deputy secretary general of Taiwan Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics.