Osteoporosis, bone & mineral

Impact of a national reimbursement add-on policy on refracture risk and secondary fracture prevention after hip fracture in Japan: a population-based interrupted time series analysis

Osteoporos IntPublished Interrupted time series analysis

Main finding · 1-year cumulative risk of refracture, absolute effectResult — go to the resultAbsolute effect - 1.02 percentage points 95% CI - 1.44 to - 0.60

Authors' conclusion

The reimbursement add-on policy for secondary fracture prevention after hip fracture surgery was associated with a lower 1-year cumulative refracture risk and a higher cumulative probability of receiving DXA assessment and initiating anti-osteoporosis medication, but not with improved 1-year post-fracture treatment persistence.

Study context

Population
Adults aged ≥ 50 years with newly identified and surgically treated hip fracture, Japan, 2019–2023
Exposure
After vs before implementation of the national reimbursement add-on policy (1 April 2022)
Outcome
Absolute change in the 1-year cumulative risk of first refracture
Follow-up
12 months after policy implementation
Methodological detailspopulation-based, longitudinal health insurance claims data
  • Population-based
  • Longitudinal health insurance claims data

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

1-year cumulative risk of refracture, absolute effect

Absolute effect

- 1.02 percentage points

95% CI - 1.44 to - 0.60

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

90-day cumulative probability of receiving DXA assessment, absolute change · 12 months after policy implementation

Absolute effect on DXA assessment, percentage points
41.37 (40.21 to 42.54) (95% CI)

120-day cumulative probability of initiating anti-osteoporosis medication, absolute change · 12 months after policy implementation

Absolute effect on initiation of anti-osteoporosis medication, percentage points
22.83 (21.70 to 23.95) (95% CI)

1-year post-fracture treatment persistence, absolute change · 12 months after policy implementation

Absolute effect on 1-year post-fracture treatment persistence, percentage points (95% CI)
- 6.76 (- 10.04 to - 3.49)

Original publication

Impact of a national reimbursement add-on policy on refracture risk and secondary fracture prevention after hip fracture in Japan: a population-based interrupted time series analysis. Osteoporos Int. Published 20 April 2026. doi:10.1007/s00198-026-08023-4

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