These data suggest that there are differences in the clinical characteristics of postmenopausal women who initiate osteoporosis medications specifically in regards to age, pre-period fractures and breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedure use prior to initiation. Key limitations include general claims database limitations, lack of ability to assess behavior change, and lack of information on therapy initiation rationale.

Postmenopausal women with employer-sponsored health insurance had low utilization of mammography and BMD screening relative to clinical guidelines. Use of other health screening services was associated with compliance with guidelines. Methods to improve adherence to mammography and BMD screening guidelines should be explored, which could possibly leverage the increased likelihood that women who receive one screening service will receive another.

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