Awareness of vitamin D deficiency states and recommended supplementation doses: Survey of faculty and staff at a medical school

Agens, John; Galasko, Gail; Purandare, Amol; Lin, Jiankui

doi:10.1016/j.clnme.2012.09.003

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Getting tested, however, was related to use of supplementation. This is in line with Agens et al who reported that physicians who had patients vitamin D tested were linked with recommending higher dose of supplement to patients [38]. Therefore, reducing the testing costs to enable timely testing would help in early identification of the vitamin D deficiency.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice towards Vitamin D among university students in Pakistan

2020

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Background: Pakistan has one of the highest reported incidence of vitamin D deficiency in studies conducted worldwide. However, there has been very limited exploration of vitamin D related knowledge, attitudes and practices among healthy youth in Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among youth (aged > 16 years) from two engineering universities in Pakistan. Participants were asked questions on their concern about vitamin D levels, testing, and supplementation practices. Knowledge was examined using questions about food sources, health benefits and factors affecting vitamin D production within the human body. Of the 900 eligible students invited to participate, 505 (56%) completed the questionnaire and were included in the analysis. Results: Only 9% participants were able to identify the correct food sources of vitamin D, 33% were aware of the bone health benefits (bone health and calcium absorption) of vitamin D and 36% identified sunlight exposure as a factor influencing vitamin D production. Knowledge about food sources and health benefits of vitamin D was not associated with gender and individuals concern about their levels. Those tested and taking supplements were more likely to identify bone related health benefits and factors affecting vitamin D production. Forty percent male and 52% female students expressed concern that their vitamin D levels were too low. However, 72% participants reported that they had never been tested for vitamin D levels. Use of supplements was significantly higher among female students (F = 52% vs M = 37%; P = 0.003). Those who had been tested for vitamin D deficiency were more likely to take supplements. Conclusion: Despite being identified as a high-risk population, knowledge about vitamin D was limited among university students. Interventions are needed to increase awareness about the importance of vitamin D for health, including the need for exposure to sunlight and adequate dietary intake of vitamin D. Our study provides much needed baseline evidence for making health-policy recommendations for this vulnerable population group.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice towards Vitamin D among university students in Pakistan

2020

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“…These results were comparable to those of another study by Al-Agha et al,26 in which 82% of respondents indicated that early morning were the ideal time for exposure to the sunshine to acquire vitamin D. In this study, 73% of participants said that exposure to the sun for between 10 and 15 minutes is necessary, while in the study,26 the most popular response, chosen by 47% of all participants, was fewer than 30 minutes.People who are well-informed about the signs and danger signs of vitamin D deficiency can alter their daily habits for the better. In contrast to the research by Agens et al27 where only 28.5% of the cases complained of bone pain and 26.5% were diagnosed with bone fracture, nearly 72% of participants in our study correctly identified all of the vitamin D deficiency symptoms such as fatigue, depression, weak bones, chronic and continuous pain in different parts of the body. Meanwhile, around onethird of individuals in the present study (32%) were unaware of the dangers of vitamin D insufficiency.…”

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confidence: 99%

Covid-19 And The Level of Awareness of Vitamin D Among Saudi Population – A Cross-Sectional Study of Dental Public Health Perspective

Moothedath,

Al Harbi

2024

Bangladesh J Med Sci

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Introduction: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin of importance necessary for calcium homeostasis, healthy bones, and prevention of fractures. It has also been linked to many metabolic, infectious and autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D levels are also being studied with respect to oral health issues such as dental caries, and periodontitis. Vitamin D deficiencies have been found to be relatively common among Covid-19 patients and who received supplements experienced less severe symptoms. The credible proposals for vitamin D supplementation to avoid infection and mortality due to Covid-19 validate the chance of raising public awareness on significance of its health benefits. Thus, we carried out this research to study the influence of Covid-19 on Saudi Arabian population's awareness of vitamin D with a dental public health perspective. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of the Saudi Arabian general population was undertaken with 240 subjects, including men and women chosen at random varying a range of age groups from 18 to 74 years after consent and institutional approval. Sample size was computed using G-power software. Pretested, validated questionnaire, translated to Arabic was disseminated through e-mails and all prominent social medias. Statistical analysis was done using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Bivariate analysis was performed using chi-square test at 5% significance level. Results: Out of 240 people participated; 57% were men, and 43% were women. Majority were between the ages of 18 and 30 years. 65% of the participants were aware that vitamin D is important for bone health, supports oral health, reducing tooth decay, and lowering the risk of heart disease. Half of the study population believe that the sunlight is the prime source of vitamin D and 80% assumed that the ideal time of sunshine exposure is in the morning. 88.3% of them projected the need to increase their knowledge about vitamin D. Conclusion: There was a lack of awareness and knowledge about vitamin D and its significance for the body and teeth, as well as its relationship to Covid-19. The pandemic had no significant impact on society's awareness about vitamin D. This study emphasises the importance of raising awareness among the public about vitamin D and ways to prevent its deficiencies. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.23 (Special Issue) 2024 p.S66-S72

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“…Serum concentration of 25(OH)D is the best indicator of Vitamin D status in humans, with values of <30 nmol/L (nmol/L=0.4 ng/mL) considered to be inadequate for the general health and well-being of adults. The amount of Vitamin D active metabolites produced depends mainly on the kidney function and the degree of sunlight exposure [4][5][6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge and Perceptions of Vitamin D Deficiency Among the United Arab Emirates Population

Ibrahim

Al-Tameemi

Dawoud

2019

Asian J Pharm Clin Res

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Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the Vitamin D deficiency awareness and perceptions between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among the population of two emirates at the UAE: Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Results: Overall, 434 participants completed the survey. Majority of people were aware of phenomenon of Vitamin D deficiency, but only 21.4% of them knew that sunlight is considered the main source of Vitamin D. Moreover, less than half of participants check their Vitamin D blood level regularly and around 55% of them follow-up with their physicians after completing the treatment. High proportion of participant females spend <1 h outdoors (60%) and use sunscreen daily (55%) that cause higher prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency among females than males (83% vs. 42%). Conclusion: This research gives some insights regarding the UAE population’s awareness and perceptions of Vitamin D insufficiency. Decreased awareness of sunlight exposure as a major source of Vitamin D, in addition to lifestyle, contributed to Vitamin D deficiency problem among the UAE population, in general, and in females, in particular.

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Awareness of vitamin D deficiency states and recommended supplementation doses: Survey of faculty and staff at a medical school

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice towards Vitamin D among university students in Pakistan

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice towards Vitamin D among university students in Pakistan

Covid-19 And The Level of Awareness of Vitamin D Among Saudi Population – A Cross-Sectional Study of Dental Public Health Perspective

Knowledge and Perceptions of Vitamin D Deficiency Among the United Arab Emirates Population

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