Association between osteoporotic fractures and quality of life based on the Korean Community

Abstract. [Purpose] To assess the relationship between fractures and quality of life (QOL) of osteoporosis pa-tients as well as the treatment methods and locations of fractures following osteoporosis diagnosis. [Subjects and Methods] Participants were selected from a cohort consisting of 229,229 subjects who participated in the Korean Community Health Survey. Those who were not diagnosed with osteoporosis by a doctor were excluded from the study (326) and the final analysis included 17,387 previously diagnosed participants with osteoporosis. Multiple lin-ear regression analysis was conducted. [Results] The QOL was significantly lower for subjects receiving treatment for osteoporosis compared to those who had not previously received treatment. Subjects who experienced a fracture similarly had a lower QOL compared to those who did not have a fracture. In addition, the QOL of subjects who experienced a fracture in the pelvis, spine, or wrists was significantly lower compared to those without fractures in these areas. [Conclusion] Better knowledge of osteoporosis leads to early recognition of symptoms and timely treat-ment. This results in better treatment outcomes and improved QOL for patients. Therefore, the need for physical therapy that is based on research evidence of osteoporosis treatment methods should be presented