Skip to main content
Log in

Geographic trends in incidence of hip fractures: a comprehensive literature review

  • Review
  • Published:
Osteoporosis International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Summary

A comprehensive review of literature was conducted to investigate variation in hip fracture incident rates around the world. The original crude incidence rates were standardized for age and sex for comparability. After standardization, the highest rates of hip fracture were found in Scandinavia and the lowest rates in Africa.

Introduction

This study was conducted to investigate the geographic trends of the incidence of osteoporotic hip fractures through a comprehensive review of literature.

Methods

Studies were identified for inclusion in the review by searching the MEDLINE database via PubMed and applying strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Age-specific incidence rates were extracted from the articles, and in order to provide a common platform for analysis, we used directly age-standardized and age–sex-standardized rates (using the 2005 United Nations estimates of the world population as standard) to complete the analysis.

Results

Forty-six full text articles spanning 33 countries/regions were included in the review. For ease of comparison, the results were analyzed by geographic regions: North America, Latin America, Scandinavia, Europe (excluding Scandinavia), Africa, Asia, and Australia. The highest hip fracture rates were found in Scandinavia and the lowest in Africa. We found comparable rates from countries in North America, Australia, and Europe outside of Scandinavia. The diverse makeup of the Asian continent also resulted in quite variable hip fracture rates: ranging from relatively high rates in Iran to low rates, comparable to those from Africa, in mainland China.

Conclusions

Given the aging of populations globally, and in the industrialized countries specifically, hip fractures will become a progressively larger public health burden. The geographic trends observed in hip fracture incidence rates can provide important clues to etiology and prevention.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bentler SE, Liu L, Obrizan M, Cook EA, Wright KB, Geweke JF, Chrischilles EA, Pavlik CE, Wallace RB, Ohsfeldt RL, Jones MP, Rosenthal GE, Wolinsky FD (2009) The aftermath of hip fracture: discharge placement, functional status change, and mortality. Am J Epidemiol 170:1290–1299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. da Costa JA, Ribeiro A, Bogas M, Costa L, Varino C, Lucas R, Rodrigues A, Araujo D (2009) Mortality and functional impairment after hip fracture—a prospective study in a Portuguese population. Acta Reumatol Port 34:618–626

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Davidson CW, Merrilees MJ, Wilkinson TJ, McKie JS, Gilchrist NL (2001) Hip fracture mortality and morbidity—can we do better? N Z Med J 114:329–332

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Holvik K, Ranhoff AH, Martinsen MI, Solheim LF (2010) Predictors of mortality in older hip fracture inpatients admitted to an orthogeriatric unit in Oslo, Norway. J Aging Health 22:1114–1131

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Johnell O, Kanis JA, Oden A, Sernbo I, Redlund-Johnell I, Petterson C, De Laet C, Jonsson B (2004) Mortality after osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporos Int 15:38–42

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Vaseenon T, Luevitoonvechkij S, Wongtriratanachai P, Rojanasthien S (2010) Long-term mortality after osteoporotic hip fracture in Chiang Mai, Thailand. J Clin Densitom 13:63–67

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Abrahamsen B, van Staa T, Ariely R, Olson M, Cooper C (2009) Excess mortality following hip fracture: a systematic epidemiological review. Osteoporos Int 20:1633–1650

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Johnell O, Kanis JA (2004) An estimate of the worldwide prevalence, mortality and disability associated with hip fracture. Osteoporos Int 15:897–902

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lin PC, Lu CM (2005) Hip fracture: family caregivers' burden and related factors for older people in Taiwan. J Clin Nurs 14:719–726

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Papadimitropoulos EA, Coyte PC, Josse RG, Greenwood CE (1997) Current and projected rates of hip fracture in Canada. CMAJ 157:1357–1363

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gullberg B, Johnell O, Kanis JA (1997) World-wide projections for hip fracture. Osteoporos Int 7:407–413

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Johnell O (1997) The socioeconomic burden of fractures: today and in the 21st century. Am J Med 103:20S–25S, discussion 25S–26S

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Maggi S, Kelsey JL, Litvak J, Heyse SP (1991) Incidence of hip fractures in the elderly: a cross-national analysis. Osteoporos Int 1:232–241

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bacon WE, Maggi S, Looker A, Harris T, Nair CR, Giaconi J, Honkanen R, Ho SC, Peffers KA, Torring O, Gass R, Gonzalez N (1996) International comparison of hip fracture rates in 1988–89. Osteoporos Int 6:69–75

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Fleiss JL (1973) Statistical methods for rates and proportions. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  16. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2009) World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision, Volume II: Sex and Age Distribution of the World Population

  17. Fang J, Freeman R, Jeganathan R, Alderman MH (2004) Variations in hip fracture hospitalization rates among different race/ethnicity groups in New York City. Ethn Dis 14:280–284

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Jaglal SB, Sherry PG, Schatzker J (1996) The impact and consequences of hip fracture in Ontario. Can J Surg 39:105–111

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Levy AR, Mayo NE, Grimard G (1995) Rates of transcervical and pertrochanteric hip fractures in the province of Quebec, Canada, 1981–1992. Am J Epidemiol 142:428–436

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ross PD, Huang C (2000) Hip fracture incidence among Caucasians in Hawaii is similar to Japanese. A population-based study. Aging (Milano) 12:356–359

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Bagur A, Mautalen C, Rubin Z (1994) Epidemiology of hip fractures in an urban population of central Argentina. Osteoporos Int 4:332–335

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Castro da Rocha FA, Ribeiro AR (2003) Low incidence of hip fractures in an equatorial area. Osteoporos Int 14:496–499

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Clark P, Lavielle P, Franco-Marina F, Ramirez E, Salmeron J, Kanis JA, Cummings SR (2005) Incidence rates and life-time risk of hip fractures in Mexicans over 50 years of age: a population-based study. Osteoporos Int 16:2025–2030

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Morosano M, Masoni A, Sanchez A (2005) Incidence of hip fractures in the city of Rosario, Argentina. Osteoporos Int 16:1339–1344

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Schwartz AV, Kelsey JL, Maggi S, Tuttleman M, Ho SC, Jonsson PV, Poor G, Sisson de Castro JA, Xu L, Matkin CC, Nelson LM, Heyse SP (1999) International variation in the incidence of hip fractures: cross-national project on osteoporosis for the World Health Organization Program for Research on Aging. Osteoporos Int 9:242–253

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Beringer TR, Wilson RA, Swain D, Patterson CC, Beverland D (2000) Proximal femoral fracture in Northern Ireland between 1985–1997—trends and future projections. Ulster Med J 69:112–117

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Hernandez JL, Olmos JM, Alonso MA, Gonzalez-Fernandez CR, Martinez J, Pajaron M, Llorca J, Gonzalez-Macias J (2006) Trend in hip fracture epidemiology over a 14-year period in a Spanish population. Osteoporos Int 17:464–470

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Icks A, Haastert B, Wildner M, Becker C, Meyer G (2008) Trend of hip fracture incidence in Germany 1995–2004: a population-based study. Osteoporos Int 19:1139–1145

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Jequier V, Burnand B, Vader JP, Paccaud F (1995) Hip fracture incidence in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, 1986–1991. Osteoporos Int 5:191–195

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Koeck CM, Schwappach DL, Niemann FM, Strassmann TJ, Ebner H, Klaushofer K (2001) Incidence and costs of osteoporosis-associated hip fractures in Austria. Wien Klin Wochenschr 113:371–377

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Mann E, Icks A, Haastert B, Meyer G (2008) Hip fracture incidence in the elderly in Austria: an epidemiological study covering the years 1994 to 2006. BMC Geriatr 8:35

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Paspati I, Galanos A, Lyritis GP (1998) Hip fracture epidemiology in Greece during 1977–1992. Calcif Tissue Int 62:542–547

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wildner M, Clark DE (2001) Hip fracture incidence in East and West Germany: reassessment ten years after unification. Osteoporos Int 12:136–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Bjorgul K, Reikeras O (2007) Incidence of hip fracture in southeastern Norway: a study of 1,730 cervical and trochanteric fractures. Int Orthop 31:665–669

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Finsen V, Johnsen LG, Trano G, Hansen B, Sneve KS (2004) Hip fracture incidence in central Norway: a followup study. Clin Orthop Relat Res 419:173–178

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Giversen IM (2006) Time trends of age-adjusted incidence rates of first hip fractures: a register-based study among older people in Viborg County, Denmark, 1987–1997. Osteoporos Int 17:552–564

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Lofman O, Berglund K, Larsson L, Toss G (2002) Changes in hip fracture epidemiology: redistribution between ages, genders and fracture types. Osteoporos Int 13:18–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Lofthus CM, Osnes EK, Falch JA, Kaastad TS, Kristiansen IS, Nordsletten L, Stensvold I, Meyer HE (2001) Epidemiology of hip fractures in Oslo, Norway. Bone 29:413–418

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Lonnroos E, Kautiainen H, Karppi P, Huusko T, Hartikainen S, Kiviranta I, Sulkava R (2006) Increased incidence of hip fractures. A population based-study in Finland. Bone 39:623–627

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Nymark T, Lauritsen JM, Ovesen O, Rock ND, Jeune B (2006) Decreasing incidence of hip fracture in the Funen County, Denmark. Acta Orthop 77:109–113

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Rogmark C, Sernbo I, Johnell O, Nilsson JA (1999) Incidence of hip fractures in Malmo, Sweden, 1992–1995. A trend-break. Acta Orthop Scand 70:19–22

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. El Maghraoui A, Koumba BA, Jroundi I, Achemlal L, Bezza A, Tazi MA (2005) Epidemiology of hip fractures in 2002 in Rabat, Morocco. Osteoporos Int 16:597–602

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Zebaze RM, Seeman E (2003) Epidemiology of hip and wrist fractures in Cameroon, Africa. Osteoporos Int 14:301–305

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. al-Nuaim AR, Kremli M, al-Nuaim M, Sandkgi S (1995) Incidence of proximal femur fracture in an urbanized community in Saudi Arabia. Calcif Tissue Int 56:536–538

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Baddoura R (2001) Incidence of hip fractures in the Lebanese population. East Mediterr Health J 7:725–729

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Hagino H, Katagiri H, Okano T, Yamamoto K, Teshima R (2005) Increasing incidence of hip fracture in Tottori Prefecture, Japan: trend from 1986 to 2001. Osteoporos Int 16:1963–1968

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Huang KY, Chang JK, Ling SY, Endo N, Takahashi HE (2000) Epidemiology of cervical and trochanteric fractures of the proximal femur in 1996 in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. J Bone Miner Metab 18:89–95

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Iga T, Dohmae Y, Endo N, Takahashi HE (1999) Increase in the incidence of cervical and trochanteric fractures of the proximal femur in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. J Bone Miner Metab 17:224–231

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Ikeda S, Hirano T, Iwasaki K (1994) Incidence of fracture of the neck of the femur in Nagasaki Prefecture. J Bone Miner Metab 12:69–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Koh LK, Saw SM, Lee JJ, Leong KH, Lee J, National Working Committee on Osteoporosis (2001) Hip fracture incidence rates in Singapore 1991–1998. Osteoporos Int 12:311–318

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Lau EM, Lee JK, Suriwongpaisal P, Saw SM, De Das S, Khir A, Sambrook P (2001) The incidence of hip fracture in four Asian countries: the Asian Osteoporosis Study (AOS). Osteoporos Int 12:239–243

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Lim S, Koo BK, Lee EJ, Park JH, Kim MH, Shin KH, Ha YC, Cho NH, Shin CS (2008) Incidence of hip fractures in Korea. J Bone Miner Metab 26:400–405

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Memon A, Pospula WM, Tantawy AY, Abdul-Ghafar S, Suresh A, Al-Rowaih A (1998) Incidence of hip fracture in Kuwait. Int J Epidemiol 27:860–865

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Moayyeri A, Soltani A, Larijani B, Naghavi M, Alaeddini F, Abolhassani F (2006) Epidemiology of hip fracture in Iran: results from the Iranian Multicenter Study on Accidental Injuries. Osteoporos Int 17:1252–1257

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Orimo H, Hashimoto T, Sakata K, Yoshimura N, Suzuki T, Hosoi T (2000) Trends in the incidence of hip fracture in Japan, 1987–1997: the third nationwide survey. J Bone Miner Metab 18:126–131

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Rowe SM, Song EK, Kim JS, Lee JY, Park YB, Bae BH, Hur CI (2005) Rising incidence of hip fracture in Gwangju City and Chonnam Province, Korea. J Korean Med Sci 20:655–658

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Shukla JJ, Khandekar RB (2008) Magnitude and determinants of osteoporosis in adult population of South Sharqiya region of Oman. Saudi Med J 29:984–988

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Soveid M, Serati AR, Masoompoor M (2005) Incidence of hip fracture in Shiraz, Iran. Osteoporos Int 16:1412–1416

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Yan L, Zhou B, Prentice A, Wang X, Golden MH (1999) Epidemiological study of hip fracture in Shenyang, People's Republic of China. Bone 24:151–155

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Zhang L, Cheng A, Bai Z, Lu Y, Endo N, Dohmae Y, Takahashi HE (2000) Epidemiology of cervical and trochanteric fractures of the proximal femur in 1994 in Tangshan, China. J Bone Miner Metab 18:84–88

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Boufous S, Finch CF, Lord SR (2004) Incidence of hip fracture in New South Wales: are our efforts having an effect? Med J Aust 180:623–626

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Sanders KM, Seeman E, Ugoni AM, Pasco JA, Martin TJ, Skoric B, Nicholson GC, Kotowicz MA (1999) Age- and gender-specific rate of fractures in Australia: a population-based study. Osteoporos Int 10:240–247

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Adebajo AO, Cooper C, Evans JG (1991) Fractures of the hip and distal forearm in West Africa and the United Kingdom. Age Ageing 20:435–438

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Lunt M, Felsenberg D, Adams J, Benevolenskaya L, Cannata J, Dequeker J, Dodenhof C, Falch JA, Johnell O, Khaw KT, Masaryk P, Pols H, Poor G, Reid D, Scheidt-Nave C, Weber K, Silman AJ, Reeve J (1997) Population-based geographic variations in DXA bone density in Europe: the EVOS Study. European Vertebral Osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int 7:175–189

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Cundy T, Cornish J, Evans MC, Gamble G, Stapleton J, Reid IR (1995) Sources of interracial variation in bone mineral density. J Bone Miner Res 10:368–373

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Russell-Aulet M, Wang J, Thornton JC, Colt EW, Pierson RN Jr (1993) Bone mineral density and mass in a cross-sectional study of white and Asian women. J Bone Miner Res 8:575–582

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Nordin BE (1966) International patterns of osteoporosis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 45:17–30

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Aspray TJ, Prentice A, Cole TJ, Sawo Y, Reeve J, Francis RM (1996) Low bone mineral content is common but osteoporotic fractures are rare in elderly rural Gambian women. J Bone Miner Res 11:1019–1025

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Cohn SH, Abesamis C, Yasumura S, Aloia JF, Zanzi I, Ellis KJ (1977) Comparative skeletal mass and radial bone mineral content in black and white women. Metabolism 26:171–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Moldawer M, Zimmerman SJ, Collins LC (1965) Incidence of osteoporosis in elderly whites and elderly Negroes. JAMA 194:859–862

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Cummings SR, Cauley JA, Palermo L, Ross PD, Wasnich RD, Black D, Faulkner KG (1994) Racial differences in hip axis lengths might explain racial differences in rates of hip fracture. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group. Osteoporos Int 4:226–229

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Pfeifer M, Minne HW (1999) Vitamin D and hip fracture. Trends Endocrinol Metab 10:417–420

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Parfitt AM, Gallagher JC, Heaney RP, Johnston CC, Neer R, Whedon GD (1982) Vitamin D and bone health in the elderly. Am J Clin Nutr 36:1014–1031

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Jacobsen SJ, Goldberg J, Miles TP, Brody JA, Stiers W, Rimm AA (1990) Regional variation in the incidence of hip fracture. US white women aged 65 years and older. JAMA 264:500–502

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Zhang Y, Hunter DJ, Nevitt MC, Xu L, Niu J, Lui LY, Yu W, Aliabadi P, Felson DT (2004) Association of squatting with increased prevalence of radiographic tibiofemoral knee osteoarthritis: the Beijing Osteoarthritis Study. Arthritis Rheum 50:1187–1192

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Hoaglund FT, Yau AC, Wong WL (1973) Osteoarthritis of the hip and other joints in southern Chinese in Hong Kong. J Bone Joint Surg Am 55:545–557

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Sanders KM, Nicholson GC, Ugoni AM, Seeman E, Pasco JA, Kotowicz MA (2002) Fracture rates lower in rural than urban communities: the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. J Epidemiol Community Health 56:466–470

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Sernbo I, Johnell O, Andersson T (1988) Differences in the incidence of hip fracture. Comparison of an urban and a rural population in southern Sweden. Acta Orthop Scand 59:382–385

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Chevalley T, Herrmann FR, Delmi M, Stern R, Hoffmeyer P, Rapin CH, Rizzoli R (2002) Evaluation of the age-adjusted incidence of hip fractures between urban and rural areas: the difference is not related to the prevalence of institutions for the elderly. Osteoporos Int 13:113–118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Madhok R, Melton LJ 3rd, Atkinson EJ, O'Fallon WM, Lewallen DG (1993) Urban vs rural increase in hip fracture incidence. Age and sex of 901 cases 1980–89 in Olmsted County, U.S.A. Acta Orthop Scand 64:543–548

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs, Population Division (2009) World population prospects: 2008 revision. CD-ROM edition: supplemented by official national statistics published in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2007. 2010

  82. Xu L, Lu A, Zhao X, Chen X, Cummings SR (1996) Very low rates of hip fracture in Beijing, People's Republic of China: the Beijing Osteoporosis Project. Am J Epidemiol 144:901–907

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. Pauwels RA, Buist AS, Calverley PM, Jenkins CR, Hurd SS, GOLD Scientific Committee (2001) Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NHLBI/WHO Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Workshop summary. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 163:1256–1276

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. R Levy.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(PDF 135 kb)

ESM 2

(PDF 103 kb)

ESM 3

(PDF 71.7 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, S.Y., Levy, A.R., Lefaivre, K.A. et al. Geographic trends in incidence of hip fractures: a comprehensive literature review. Osteoporos Int 22, 2575–2586 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-011-1596-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-011-1596-z

Keywords

Navigation