Osteoporosis affects approximately 1.4 million Canadians, largely postmenopausal women and the
elderly. Osteoporosis-related fractures are widely recognized as a major health problem, causing
considerable illness and consequently enormous financial burden through use of health services.
The Osteoporosis Research Program and the
Multidisciplinary Clinical Osteoporosis Program at Women's College Hospital are closely integrated. All research conducted under the auspices of the Osteoporosis Research Program is conducted with one primary goal, which is to improve the delivery of health care to individuals at risk for, or with established, osteoporosis.
Past and ongoing research encompasses projects in three main areas:
- Risk factors for development of osteoporosis, in particular, predictors of bone loss prior
to menopause
- Strategies to optimize osteoporosis diagnosis and management in the primary care setting
- Efficacy of new treatments, both drug therapies and non-drug therapies (such as fall prevention
strategies), for women and men with established osteoporosis
Dr. Gillian Hawker is the director of the
Osteoporosis Research Program and the medical director of the Multidisciplinary Osteoporosis
Clinical Program. The research program includes a truly inter-disciplinary team of researchers
stretching from practice-based research conducted by the clinical program team members to
scientific, peer-reviewed research. It includes the health services research of Dr. Gillian Hawker and Dr. Susan
Jaglal, who work seeks to optimize the delivery of osteoporosis care across Ontario. Dr. Sophie Jamal has recently joined the program studying novel treatments for osteoporosis as well as strategies for manage bone disease in patients with complex medical illnesses such as chronic kidney disease. Close
integration between researchers and the clinical program facilitates transfer of information
back and forth - not only transfer of information (evidence) on which to base clinical practice,
but also of clinical questions and controversies which require research to address. The success
of the research program is evidenced not only in the number of peer-review grants and
publications, but also in the program's popularity as a site for graduate training in clinical
research in the field of osteoporosis.
