Strong bones in later life: luxury or necessity? the view from Tunisia: need for an inclusive approach
Ben Khalifa, F.
Bulletin of the World Health Organization 77(5): 427-428
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-9686 PMID: 10361763 Document Number: 523694
Demographic, epidemiological, and socioeconomic factors are the primary reasons behind the varied priorities of many developing countries in detecting and preventing osteoporosis. The problem of detecting and preventing the disease does not assume the same urgency, because of the prevailing epidemiological situation in Tunisia and other developing countries. However, there are no precise data on the incidence of osteoporosis and its progression; thus, the means of detection are considered inadequate. Some of the socioeconomic factors in the control of the disease include the following: high rate of illiteracy; excessive focus of the health system on curative care and insufficient attention to early detection and prevention of the disease; and inadequate and inefficient health insurance systems. The increase in life expectancy and the aging of the population make it necessary for health officials to focus their attention on osteoporosis. Attention must be drawn to the importance of nutrition at the very beginning of life, during gestation, wherein deficiencies at this period lead to numerous diseases in adult life. Ensuring that people have strong bones throughout their life spans is a need that can be addressed through the development of an integrated strategy suited to the epidemiological situation of each country.