Hip Fractures More Fatal Than Some Cancers: 5 Key Preventive Steps

The potential for hip fractures increases as we age—taking preventive steps to reduce falling may reduce the risk.

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In people over 50, the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures significantly increases, leading to a higher mortality rate. Recent studies have shown that the survival rate for elderly individuals after a hip fracture is even lower than that for colorectal cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Hip fractures, often referred to as the “silent killer of the elderly,” occur when the femur (thigh bone) breaks near the hip joint. A recent study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Plus in May found that the survival rate for elderly individuals significantly decreases after a fracture, with hip fractures having the poorest prognosis.

Low Survival Rates of Hip Fractures

The study examined 98,474 patients aged 65 and older who experienced fractures at various sites between 2011 and 2015. These patients were matched 1:1 with a nonfracture cohort based on sex, age, rural or urban residence, and comorbidities associated with fracture risk. After up to six years of follow-up, researchers assessed the overall survival rate of the fracture patients and compared it to the relative survival rate of the nonfracture cohort.