INTRODUCTION

Osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease that predisposes individuals to suffer falls and fractures, causing functional impairment and a consequent reduction in quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported osteoporosis in the elderly population living in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil (ISACAMP 2008).

METHODS

Cross-sectional study with a random sample taken by conglomerates in 2 stages totaling 1,419 elderly people living in the urban area. The self-reported prevalence of osteoporosis was estimated according to socioeconomic and demographic variables, morbidity, health behaviors and problems. Crude prevalence ratios were estimated and adjusted by means of simple and multiple regressions using the Poisson svy commands in Stata 11.0 software.

RESULTS

We found a prevalence of osteoporosis of 14.8%, and significantly higher in females, in individuals who reported white skin, those who reported less than 7 hours of sleep/day, in patients with rheumatism/arthritis/arthrosis, asthma/bronchitis/emphysema, tendinitis, dizziness, insomnia, common mental disorders, BMI < 27, health self-related as bad and very bad, and reporting falls occurring in the last 12 months.

CONCLUSION

The present study, by identifying the factors associated with osteoporosis, identified segments of older people with a higher prevalence of the disease; to this information may contribute to the planning of public health policies and programs aimed at controlling the disease and its consequences.