Abstract
Purpose
To determine whether there have been changes in the age, sex and subtype specific first hip fracture rates in Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) between 1990 and 2004.
Method
Records of all persons aged 60 years and older hospitalized with hip fractures in BC between 1985 and 2004 were obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database. Only the first hip fracture records were included, and fractures likely due to causes other than trauma were excluded. Age- and sex-specific rates were calculated using population denominators from Statistics Canada and direct standardization was used. Age standardized rates allowed for comparison across years with adjustment for age distribution.
Results
There were 41,990 records of first hip fracture included, and 73% were in women. Trends in age specific rates by fracture type were similar to previous reports. Between 1990 and 2004, there has been an age adjusted 18% decrease in first hip fracture rates in women, and 19% decrease in first hip fracture rates in men. The decrease was statistically more significant in femoral neck fractures in women, but not in men.
Conclusion
There has been a decrease in age adjusted hip fracture rates in BC between 1990 and 2004, which is in contrast to previous projections for hip fracture rates in Canada.
