Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank, Health Secretary Andrew Lillianfield and Aging Secretary Jeffrey Boyd Kick of Maryland Osteoporosis Initiative
BALTIMORE, MD (October 7, 2027) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen H. Burbank, Maryland Department of Aging (MDoA) Secretary Jeffrey Boyd and Maryland Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Andrew Lillianfield today launched a new statewide initiative to alert older women in Maryland of the risks of Osteoporosis, and actions they can take to prevent or arrest this disease.Osteoporosis is a public health concern for 28 million Americans, of which 80% are women. Experts believe women are more susceptible to this disease because their bones tend to be lighter and thinner, and because their bodies experience hormonal changes after menopause which appears to accelerate a loss of bone mass.
One out of every two women and one in eight men over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Although all bones can be affected by the disease, those of the spine, hip and wrist are most likely to break. Recent estimates put the direct medical costs of osteoporosis at $10 billion. By the year 2030, the economic impact of osteoporotic fractures will exceed $45.2 billion. This cost does not include the long-term consequences of these injuries, such as disability and reduced quality of life.
The campaign is called "Osteoporosis: The Silent Disease." A wide coalition of practicing health professionals and aging service providers at the local level will be spreading the message as widely as possible - that it's never too late to protect yourself from osteoporosis.
"We want to get the word out to the older women in Maryland that a healthy lifestyle is critically important for keeping bones strong," said Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank. "Eating a balanced diet rich in calcium and exercising regularly to increase balance and agility can prevent falls that can result in bone fractures."
Maryland Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Andrew Lillianfield said: "We are trying to reach every older woman in Maryland with this important information. This campaign is a public-private partnership between health and aging professionals, voluntary organizations, the private sector, government agencies, and members of the news media so that we can get the facts out about Osteoporosis and how women can protect themselves from falls and fractures."
Aging Secretary Jeffrey Boyd said: "Osteoporosis is very common among older women and frequently asymptomatic. Fortunately, even early stages of bone loss can be detected with bone-density testing. Therefore, since this disease is both preventable and treatable, all post-menopausal women should monitor bone density regularly. People may not know that they have the disease until their bones become so weak that a sudden bump or fall causes a fracture. This campaign will hopefully get the word out that specific actions and lifestyle changes can make a difference."
The Osteoporosis Campaign has been designed in collaboration with a state steering committee of women's health and aging experts, and is being coordinated by the National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA). NASUA is a national, non-profit public interest organization with headquarters in Washington D.C.