OBJECTIVETo investigate the net "per case" direct economic burden of osteoporotic hip fracture of in-patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), and to explore the related factors which will influence the burden of the disease.

METHODSData was from a retrospective questionnaire on 90 osteoporotic hip fracture in-patients of PUMCH above 50 years old from 1998 to 2002. The direct cost of fracture consisted of inpatient care, outpatient care, home care, appliance, and nutrition etc. Multiple statistics method was used to analyze the factors affecting the direct costs of disease.

RESULTSThe average age of the studied population was 71.78 +/- 9.7 years, including 29 males and 61 females. Yearly direct economic burden for one patient of osteoporotic hip fracture was 32 776 RMB, in which hospitalization expense was 23 107 RMB, accounting for 70.5%. Factors which influencing total direct costs would include: length of hospitalization, occupation and the outcome of disease, while types of hip fracture,occupation and the length of hospitalization affecting the cost during hospitalization. The outcome of disease, length of hospitalization and rehabilitation influenced the cost during convalescence while age, type of payment and treatment, did not show significant influence on the cost of hip fracture.

CONCLUSIONOsteoporosis had become a serious public health problem among the elderly, bringing about the increase of economic burden all over the world both on social healthcare and families of the patients. Our data provided base for preventive health care or health insurance on osteoporosis.