| Abstract
Background: Considering the renewed emphasis on women’s health, attention to the new
aspects of their health, such as equity, among different groups is warranted. The aim of
this study was to investigate the economic inequalities among women with osteoporosisrelated
bone fractures (ORBFs) in Sanandaj, Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, convenient sampling was employed to recruit 220
women with osteoporosis referring to the only rheumatology clinic in Sanandaj (the center
of Kurdistan province in Iran) from January to April 2013. Main outcome was the history
of fractures due to osteoporosis. Concentration index decomposition (CID) and logistic
regression were used for data analysis.
Results: In multivariate logistic analysis, the fourth and fifth quintiles of family economic
status were found to be significantly associated with ORBFs. Risk difference and confidence
interval (CI) for the relation between the history of bone fracture and family economic status
was -0.115 (95% CI: -0.209, -0.021; P = 0.016), which reflected the higher prevalence
of bone fractures among women with the lower economic levels. About 25% out of all
ORBFs were happened among 20% of the women with low economic status.
Conclusion: It was concluded that economic status plays an important role in happening
ORBFs among underprivileged women. A reorientation on women’s health care services
in Iran with a focus on underprivileged postmenopausal women seems to be necessary.
There is a need for inter-sectoral coalition between the policymakers of the health system
and those of other organizations to reduce the economic inequalities among osteoporotic
women. |