Risk Factors for Hip Fracture in Japanese Older Adults

Abstract

Risk factors for hip fracture in Japanese older populations are understudied compared with Western countries arguably due to the relatively lower prevalence rates in Japan. Nationally representative data from the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging were analyzed using logistic regression to examine possible risk factors of hip fractures, separately for older women ( n = 2,859) and older men ( n = 2,108). Results showed that older Japanese women with difficulty bending their knees (OR = 1.9), with diabetes (OR = 1.7 times), and/or with more activity of daily living limitations (OR = 1.1) had higher risks of hip fracture. Older Japanese men with difficulty bending their knees (OR = 2.6), who use more external prescription drugs (OR = 1.9), and with cancer (OR = 2.0 times) had higher risks of hip fracture. Further considerations of gender- and culture-specific factors along with the identified risk factors may provide insights into future intervention programs for hip fracture in Japanese older populations.