Prevalence and Risk Factors of Osteoporosis in Bahrain: A Cross-sectional Study among Young Female Attending Primary Care Centers

Background and aim: The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of bone mineral density (BMD) disorders among women 34 years and older in Bahrain and evaluate risk factors linked to osteoporosis. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised of women ³ 34 years of age, attending primary health centers in Bahrain. Multistage stratified sampling technique was used to select the samples and participants were randomly selected from the waiting area at the centers. The objectives and procedures were explained to the subjects and informed consent was obtained. Following recording of the case, the participants were screened using Achilles InSight imaging bone ultrasonometer (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA), and the findings were confirmed using a DEXA scan. The data was analyzed using univariate statistics. Results: The study comprised of 892 female subjects. Their mean age was 47 +11 years, 587 (66%) had normal BMD, 261 (29%) had osteopenia, 34 (3.8 %) were diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 10 (1.1%) had severe osteoporosis. History of fractures and early menopause were considerably higher in the severe osteoporosis group with a p-value < 0.001. Conclusions: A significant fraction of the participants (34%) had osteoporosis or osteopenia. Keywords: Bahrain; Osteoporosis; Prevalence; Primary health care; Risk factors