Question reference: S3W-23487
- Asked by: Tricia Marwick, MSP for Central Fife, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 5 May 2009
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Current status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 May 2009
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fragility fractures occurred in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08.
Answer
For the purposes of this answer, fragility fracture has been interpreted to mean a fracture that occurs, through minimal trauma, in bone that is pathologically impaired. The occurrence of a fragility fracture is often the first sign that an individual has osteoporosis and is at higher risk of sustaining a future fracture.
According to the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland, the number of hospital discharges in Scotland relating to fractures in which osteoporosis was also recorded was
8,686 in 2006;
8,586 in 2007, and
8,412 in 2008.
The vast majority of these fractures will relate to osteoporosis, although a small proportion will relate to malignant disease and other bone pathologies. Some may also relate to trauma.