Four out of five osteoporosis sufferers are female so it is vital that they make bone health a priority.

However, the economic recession means that some women are continuing to work despite their postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO).

The Know My Bones Council was created this year and is lead by the Society for Women’s Health Research and the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Also involved are the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, the National Women’s Health Resource Center, the American Business Women’s Association and the American Association of University Women. Further support comes from Amgen.osteoporosis

This group of professional bodies has a stated goal to empower all women suffering from the condition, providing information and strategies to help them. They have a website, Know My Bones.com, which is just the start of their planned attack on the disease and getting the knowledge across.

A recent Survey results run by Harris Interactive on a national level, highlights the problem which the council will have to overcome. Of the women with PMO, as few as one third had discussed the condition with their doctor and a quarter also revealed that they often forgot to take their prescribed drugs.

As for bone density scores, sufferers were no more likely to know what it was than those women without PMO. Thankfully part of the survey included information detailing different aspects of the disease and a large majority stated that they would now change their understanding and likely action of the condition.

The consequences of osteoporosis can be very severe and on rare occasions lead to death. It brings chronic pain, disability and makes individuals very susceptible to breaks and fractures.