Osteoporosis in Vietnam

Vietnam is the 15th most populous country in the world. The country’s population is rapidly aging with significant changes in lifestyle and dietary habits. About 28% of women and 16% of men aged 50 and older are having osteoporosis, but most of them are undiagnosed and not treated.

Vietnam is a developing country, with per-capita GDP being around $2600 (2018 figure). Vietnam has a population of ~97 million, making it the 15th largest country in the world [1]. The country’s population is aging: at present the proportion of population aged 60 years and older is 12%, but this is expected to increase to 25% in 2049 [2]. It can be said that Vietnam is a country that is getting old before getting rich [3].

The disease epidemiology in Vietnam has also changed substantially over the past four decades. In the 1980s, the most common causes of death were predominantly infectious diseases, maternal and child malnutrition. From the 1990s until now, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) collectively accounted for 71% of total burden of disease in Vietnam, including 60% of all-cause deaths (Harper C. Vietnam Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control Programme 2002–2010. WHO Report 2011).

Among NCDs, osteoporosis is recognized as a major public health in Vietnam. However, due to lack of infrastructure and resources, the diagnosis of osteoporosis in Vietnam remains a challenge, particularly in countryside. There are 71 Hologic and 20 GE Lunar densitometers in the entire country, but the majority of these densitometers are in major…