Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37405619›Full record

Observational studyArchives of osteoporosis2023

Investigating the impact of a national educational program on patient adherence to osteoporosis medications.

Thu Vuong, Matthew Peters, Alistair Merrifield, Marnie Firipis, Josephine Belcher, Zain Elgebaly

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Archives of osteoporosis, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Postoperative osteoporosis therapy and risk of re-fracture in elderly patients with hip fractures: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Thu VuongNPS MedicineWise, Level 7, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia. huongthuhanoi@gmail.com.
Matthew PetersNPS MedicineWise, Level 7, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia.
Alistair MerrifieldNPS MedicineWise, Level 7, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia.
Marnie FiripisNPS MedicineWise, Level 7, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia.
Josephine BelcherNPS MedicineWise, Level 7, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia.
Zain ElgebalyNPS MedicineWise, Level 7, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Interrupted time series analysis (ITS) measured improvements in osteoporosis medication adherence after a national education program. The proportion of patients who were adherent to treatment increased following the program.

introductionThe NPS MedicineWise osteoporosis program, implemented nationally in 2015-2016 in Australia, sought to improve adherence to osteoporosis medicines using evidence-based multifaceted large-scale educational interventions targeting general practitioners.

methodsWe undertook a retrospective, observational study using ITS analysis from 1 December 2011 to 31 December 2019 using a 10% sample of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) dispensing data for 71,093 patients ≥ 45 years. The adherence measure was the percentage of patients with a proportion of days covered (PDC) ≥ 80%.

resultsThe program significantly increased adherence to osteoporosis medicines. After 12 months, the estimated adherence rate with the program was 48.4% (95% CI, 47.4-49.4%). Without the program, adherence would have fallen to 43.5% (95% CI, 42.5-44.5%). There was a further increase in adherence by the end of the study period (44 months after the program). Among patients prescribed denosumab only, despite a significant increase in adherence following the program, adherence rates were overall sub-optimal (65.0% 12 months following the program).

conclusionsThe NPS MedicineWise osteoporosis program significantly increased osteoporosis medicine adherence. The program changed primary care prescriber behavior and improved treatment adherence. However, some patients had a period of treatment discontinuation, placing them at increased risk of fracture. A focused program emphasizing the importance of long-term adherence with denosumab (including switching to bisphosphonates if treatment is discontinued) may be warranted to further improve the quality use of osteoporosis treatment in Australia.

Indexed as

Bone Density Conservation AgentsOsteoporosisDenosumabHumansMedication AdherencePharmaceutical PreparationsRetrospective StudiesBone Density Conservation AgentsDenosumabPharmaceutical PreparationsBisphosphonatesDenosumabNPS MedicineWise osteoporosis program

Identifiers

PMID37405619
OpenAlexW4383186084

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.