Quality of life in osteoporosis

Osteoporotic hip, vertebral, and wrist fractures have dramatic effects on h ealth-related quality of life. Health status instruments can be used in eva luating quality of life deficits resulting from osteoporotic fractures. Alt hough several lengthy health status instruments exist, shorter questionnair es must be developed to promote health status assessments in routine clinic al practice. The authors have developed the disease-targeted, mini-Osteopor otic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) to be used in clinical settings. The mini-OQLQ is extremely effective because it is self-administered and qu ickly completed. Information collected by health-related quality of life in struments may provide new insight as to how to improve quality of life for patients with fractures. Educational efforts are needed for health care pro fessionals to increase the credibility of assessing health status in clinic al practice.