Position paper: a coordinated approach to fracture and fall prevention from seven international organizations
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Fragility fractures constitute a major global health burden and often result from falls. However, clinical care for fragility fractures is currently organized separately from fall prevention services leading to gaps in integrated care delivery. This joint position paper from the European Geriatric Medicine Society, the Fragility Fracture Network, the World Falls Prevention Society, the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases, the International Osteoporosis Foundation, the European Union of Medical Specialists-Geriatric Medicine Section, and the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics-European Region highlights the critical need for integrated falls and fracture prevention, with a focus on evidence-based clinical practice, knowledge dissemination, education, policy strategies, and research. We outline existing guidelines on fall and fracture prevention, with particular emphasis on how fracture risk assessment can be incorporated into fall prevention services and on integrating fall assessment into fracture prevention services. We advocate that future implementation guidelines place greater emphasis on fully integrated models of care. Moreover, training and education programs should be designed to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals. Integrated fall and fracture prevention services should be recognized as a public health priority and incorporated into national strategies for healthy aging, supported by adequate, dedicated, and sustainable resources including evidence-based exercise provision. Finally, future research should focus on evaluating the (cost) effectiveness of integrated care models and examining their practical implementation in real-world settings.
Source: European Geriatric Medicine
Authors: Nathalie van der Velde, Lotta J. Seppala, Gulistan Bahat, Hubert Blain, Alvaro Casas Herrero, Nicholas C. Harvey, Tahir Masud, René Rizzoli, Jean-Yves Reginster, Carmelinda Ruggiero, Mario Barbagallo, Alex Barreto de Lima, Maria Bonnici, Jean Bousquet, Bernard Cortet, Lorenzo Chiari, Yannis Dionyssiotis, Karsten Dreinhöfer, Gustavo Duque, Chris Easthope Awai, Frede Frihagen, James Frith, Ellen Freiberger, Deniz Cengiz, Eleftheria Giannouli, Tomasz Grodzicki, Nataliia Grygorieva, Evrim Gökçe, Jorunn L. Helbostad, Christof J. Kadane, Meltem Koca, Marko Kolšek, Tomasz Kostka, Jūratė Macijauskienė, Finbarr C. Martin, Lisa McGarrigle, Emeline Michel, Marta Neira Álvarez, Maria Panourgia, Stany Perkisas, Christoph Pertinatsch, Carmen Queirós, Regina Roller-Wirnsberger, Erik Rosendahl, Jesper Ryg, Cheryl A. Sadowski, Opinder Sahota, Schroder Sattar, Dawn A. Skelton, François-Xavier Sibille, Balamrit Singh Sokhal, Joke Spildooren, Emma Stanmore, Timo E. Strandberg, Tim Stuckenschneider, Chris Todd, Hana Vankova, Ellen Vlaeyen, Ozlem Yilmaz, Yelda Öztürk
Institutions: Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Istanbul University, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Navarre Institute of Health Research, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable, Universidad de Navarra, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton, International Osteoporosis Foundation, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospital of Geneva, King Saud University, University of Perugia, University of Palermo, Universidade Nilton Lins, Mater Dei Hospital, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Université de Lille, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, University of Bologna, National Rehabilitation Center EKA, McGill University, University of Oslo, Østfold Hospital Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hacettepe University, ETH Zurich, Jagiellonian University, D. F. Chebotarev State Institute of Gerontology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Inserm, COMETE - Mobilités : Vieillissement, pathologie, santé, Université de Caen Normandie, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, St Olav's University Hospital, Medical University of Graz, Ankara Etlik City Hospital, University of Ljubljana, Medical University of Lodz, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, King's College London, Atlantic Technological University, Université Côte d'Azur, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Milton Keynes Hospital, Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University of Antwerp, Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom, Universidade do Porto, RISE - Health Research Network, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Umeå University, University of Copenhagen, Herlev Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Gentofte Hospital, University of Alberta, University of Saskatchewan, Glasgow Caledonian University, CHU Dinant Godinne UCL Namur, UCLouvain, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Keele University, Hasselt University, University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Charles University, University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, KU Leuven, Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi
Language: English
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,390
OpenAlex ID: W7212139028