Epidemiology of Hip Fracture and Social Costs

Hip fracture is one of the most common conditions in the elderly, particularly in women. Although data are sparse and partially conflicting, it is estimated that hip fractures will occur in 18 % of women and 6 % in men in a lifetime, with an absolute number expected to increase from 1.26 million in 1990 to 4.5 million by the year 2050. Given these huge numbers, and the degree to which it negatively impacts quality and expectancy of life, hip fracture represents an important medical condition. The costs associated with this condition are enormous since it requires a long period of hospitalisation and rehabilitation. Furthermore, hip fracture is associated with higher development of sarcopenia, disability and depression, with additional costs for society. In this chapter, we discuss the epidemiological data around hip fracture, including known risk factors and conditions that seem pivotal for determining this condition. Moreover, we analyse the costs related to hip fracture. This medical condition seems to be comparable to other common diseases (like cardiovascular conditions) in terms of hospitalisation and rehabilitation, but other social costs (due to onset of new co-morbidities, sarcopenia, poor quality of life, disability and mortality) are probably greater.