Background: Osteoporotic fractures are associated with a loss of quality of life, but only few patients receive an appropriate therapy. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the awareness of musculoskeletal patients to participate in osteoporosis assessment and to evaluate whether there are significant differences between acute care patients treated for major fractures of the hip compared to elective patients treated for hip joint replacement.; Methods: From May 2015 to December 2016 patients who were undergoing surgical treatment for proximal femur fracture or total hip replacement due to osteoarthritis and were at risk for an underlying osteoporosis (female > 60 and male > 70 years) were included in the study and asked to complete a questionnaire assessing the awareness for an underlying osteoporosis. ASA Score, FRAX Score, and demographic information have also been examined. Results: In total 268 patients (female = 194 (72.0%)/male = 74 (28%)), mean age 77.7 years (±7.7) undergoing hip surgery were included. Of these, 118 were treated for fracture-related etiology and 150 underwent total hip arthroplasty in an elective care setting. Patients were interviewed about their need for osteoporosis examination during hospitalization. Overall, 76 of 150 patients receiving elective care (50.7%) considered that an examination was necessary, whereas in proximal femur fracture patients the awareness was lower, and the disease osteoporosis was assessed as threatening by significantly fewer newly fractured patients. By comparison, patients undergoing trauma surgery had a considerably greater risk of developing another osteoporotic fracture than patients undergoing elective surgery determined by the FRAX® Score (p ≤ 0.001).; Conclusions: The patients’ motivation to endure additional osteoporosis diagnostic testing is notoriously low and needs to be increased. Patients who underwent acute care surgery for a fragility proximal femur fracture, although acutely affected by the potential consequences of underlying osteoporosis, showed lower awareness than the elective comparison population that was also on average 6.1 years younger. Although elective patients were younger and at a lower risk, they seemed to be much more willing to undergo further osteoporosis assessment. In order to better identify and care for patients at risk, interventions such as effective screening, early initiation of osteoporosis therapy in the inpatient setting and a fracture liaison service are important measures.

Purpose: The present study is aiming to evaluate patients’ awareness to participate in further diagnostics for osteoporosis and to find out if there are significant differences with regards to fracture site. Methods: Patients at risk for underlying osteoporosis (female >60 and male >70 years) undergoing surgical treatment for a distal radius fracture (DRF) or a proximal femur fracture (PFF) were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing the awareness for underlying osteoporosis. Furthermore, dual-X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans were analyzed. Results: Overall, 150 patients (w = 122/m = 28, mean age 79.9 years (±8.6)) were included, of these, 36 patients suffered a DRF and 114 patients a PFF. Of these, 68 out of the 150 patients (45.3%) considered that an examination was necessary, whereas in PFF patients the awareness was higher than in the DRF Group (41% vs. 32%). Conclusions: The patients’ willingness to undergo further diagnostics for osteoporosis was generally poor. DRFs are frequently accompanied by a lower limitation of quality of life compared to PFF, which might be causative for even poorer awareness in these patients. Especially younger patients (age 60–70 years) with a distal radius fracture seemed to underestimate osteoporosis.