Trends and disparities in DXA testing for osteoporosis among Medicare beneficiaries, 2005–2023
Authors' conclusion
Underserved populations have seen greater declines in DXA utilization compared with the observed national decline from 2005 to 2023.
Study context
- Population
- Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 2005–2023; claims missing ZIP code, age or race/ethnicity excluded
- Participants
- 5,243,098 unique beneficiaries
- Outcome
- Annual DXA utilization per 100,000 beneficiaries, overall and stratified by SES covariates
- Follow-up
- 2005–2023
Methodological details19-year, 5% Medicare fee-for-service claims
- 19-year
- 5% Medicare fee-for-service claims
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Annual DXA use per 100,000 beneficiaries · 2005 to 2023
Annual DXA use per 100,000 beneficiaries, 2005
7255
Annual DXA use per 100,000 beneficiaries, 2023
4,690
Decline in annual use, 2005 to 2023
35.4%
Beneficiaries with ≥1 DXA
1,218,904
23.2%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of DXA utilization, Hispanic beneficiaries · 2005 to 2023
- AOR 2005
- 0.93
- AOR 2023
- 0.60
- Percentage change in AOR (largest decrease)
- −35.3%
AOR of DXA utilization, beneficiaries with Neiman Imaging Comorbidity Index (NICI) ≥ 7 · 2005 to 2023
- AOR 2005
- 1.11
- AOR 2023
- 1.70
- Percentage change in AOR (largest increase)
- +57.7%
Original publication
Trends and disparities in DXA testing for osteoporosis among Medicare beneficiaries, 2005–2023. Osteoporos Int. Published 6 August 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →