Healthcare Professionals' Perspectives and Experiences of Osteoporosis Medication Treatment: a Qualitative Systematic Review

Purpose: The systematic review aimed to describe the perspectives and experiences of HCPs regarding osteoporosis medication treatment.

Methods: We performed searches in four electronic databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL) from database inception until May 2023 in any language. Data was analysed through inductive thematic synthesis.

Results: We included 27 primary studies that incorporated the views of 495 different HCPs. The following themes were identified: low-priority disease, challenges in treatment decision-making, minimising drug burden, conscious of communication barriers, fragmented care and advice, confidence through experience and collaboration.

Conclusions: HCPs were enthusiastic about optimising osteoporosis care through interprofessional collaboration and expertise, as well as educating and monitoring patients on treatment. They advocated for safety, comfort and reducing overall drug burden, especially in older patients with comorbidities. However, they had differences in opinions regarding who has responsibility for diagnosing and treating osteoporosis and struggled to provide the best possible care due to competing priorities, limited time and lack of adequate knowledge or evidence. The findings highlight the important and complementary role of different HCPs in osteoporosis treatment through a multidisciplinary model of care.