Final Report of the Michigan Osteoporosis Planning Group
May 1999

May 14, 1999

James K. Haveman, Jr., Director
Michigan Department of Community Health
Lewis Cass Building, Sixth Floor
320 S. Walnut Street
Lansing, Michigan 48913

Dear Mr. Haveman:

It is with considerable pride that we present to you and the people of the State of Michigan the Michigan Osteoporosis Strategic Plan. Without question, as Michigan moves into the next millennium, osteoporosis will continue to be one of our most serious and disabling diseases. Fortunately, we have learned a great deal about osteoporosis in recent years - about its manifestations in an aging population and about how we can prevent or reduce its consequences. We have moved beyond the stereotyped image of osteoporosis as an inevitable condition that leaves our elderly citizens in pain and unable to fully participate in our vibrant society. And, we now understand that this is not simply a disease of a few elderly women or of a few isolated individuals. More than three million Michigan citizens are affected by osteopenia or osteoporosis.

It is also clear that osteoporosis is often the consequence of the interactions of a lifetime of behavioral, developmental, and genetic factors. Therefore, an effective state and community health response to it must be multi-faceted and address the needs of Michiganians across all age groups.

This report of the Michigan Osteoporosis Planning Group represents a detailed plan of attack in our efforts to reduce the human and economic burden of osteoporosis and related conditions in Michigan. The report is the result of several months of intense work by a large group of dedicated professionals. The document they have produced delineates a number of goals and points to the avenues we must travel to achieve those goals.

The Michigan Osteoporosis Planning Group wishes to thank Governor Engler and the Michigan Department of Community Health for its strong support of our efforts to address this critical health problem. We remain ready to assist you in the implementation of the critical recommendations in this report.

Sincerely,

MaryFran Sowers, Ph.D., R.D.   Geoffrey Linz, M.D.
School of Public Health                 Ingham Regional Medical Center
University of Michigan                   Lansing, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Co-Chairs, Michigan Osteoporosis Planning Group