Knowledge, attitude, performance, and determinant factors of Vitamin D deficiency prevention behaviours among Iranian pregnant women

Abstract

Background Pregnancy is a high-risk period for vitamin D (Vit D) deficiency, and there is a direct relationship between Vit D deficiency during this period and maternal and fetal complications. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of pregnant women concerning the adoption of behaviors to prevent Vit D deficiency and identify the determinant factors of such behaviors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 185 pregnant women with a mean age of 27.52 ± 5.9 years were selected from the Health Centers in Tabriz, Iran, using the stratified random sampling between 2018 September 23 and 2019 June 21. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaires comprising demographic information, knowledge, attitude, and practice of pregnant women towards Vit D deficiency. The chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to determine the relationship between the demographics of pregnant women and their knowledge and attitude. Moreover, the general linear model test was used to determine the predictors of performance. The p-value< 0.05 was considered to be significant in this study. Results The findings showed that 85.6% of pregnant women were well aware of the importance and role of Vit D in pregnancy. In addition, 76.7 and 75% of the participants had good knowledge of getting enough Vit D from sunlight and preventing Vit D deficiency in pregnancy, respectively. Moreover, 91.7% of the pregnant women believed that Vit D has a vital role in maternal and fetal health, and 61.1% showed a high level of perceived self-efficiency in preventing Vit D deficiency. In addition, 67.2% of women regarded the unpleasant taste and price of Vit D rich foods, such as seafood, as barriers to get Vit D, and 91.7% mentioned the lack of public places specific to women and living in apartments as barriers to getting enough Vit D from sunlight. According to the results, 57.8 and 79.4% of pregnant women performed at a moderate level in getting Vit D from food and sunlight, respectively. In general, educational attainment (Pvalue = 0.02, B = 0.56), pregnancy age (Pvalue = 0.04, B = -0.26), parity (Pvalue = 0.03, B = -0.45), and perceived self-efficacy of mothers (Pvalue < 0.001, B = 0.340) were the determinant factors of getting Vit D from food and sunlight as behaviours to prevent Vit D deficiency in pregnancy. Conclusion The findings of the current study revealed that despite the good knowledge of women about the Vit D deficiency during pregnancy, their performance was moderate. The unpleasant taste and high price of seafood were barriers to using them, and the lack of public places specific to women and living in apartments, were barriers to using sunlight. The most important determinant of preventive behaviours was perceived self-efficacy. Developing an awareness program to promote best practices in pregnant women is essential to prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamins and minerals, education, and self-care need during preconception to 1000 days of life in Southeast Asia: An expert panel opinion

“… 74 Multiple studies suggest developing/improving an awareness program on vitamin D supplementation in public and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to reduce vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women. 75 – 77 …”

“…74 Multiple studies suggest developing/improving an awareness program on vitamin D supplementation in public and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to reduce vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women. [75][76][77] Iodine. During pregnancy, iodine requirement increases because of increased thyroid hormone production and iodine excretion.…”

“…• Developing an awareness program to promote best practices in pregnant women is essential to prevent vitamin D deficiency 75 • Public health policies should target the awareness for optimal and safe sun exposure and adequate vitamin D dietary intake The expert group agreed with the WHO and UNICEF consensus that salt iodization is a key strategy for achieving adequate iodine intake in populations. Supplements should only be the solution when salt iodization fails BIII • Thirty percent of the pregnant women felt equal or greater satisfaction with telemedicine than face-to-face consultations in Japan.…”

Assessment the awareness of vitamin D deficiency among the general population in Syria: an online cross-sectional study

“…Similarly, previous research in the Arab world has identified a lack of general population knowledge and awareness regarding vitamin D deficiency, highlighting the need for educational programs to enhance awareness [ 15 , 16 ]. Several studies emphasize the critical role of acquiring appropriate knowledge in mitigating vitamin D deficiency and promoting overall health [ 17 ].…”