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Benameur T. Seasonal Variations in 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels among Pediatric Patients Attending the Healthcare Centre. Nutrients 2024; 16:379. [PMID: 38337664 PMCID: PMC10856968 DOI: 10.3390/nu16030379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D plays an essential role in maintaining bone density, building the immune system, and regulating cell growth alongside other key biological functions. Limited data are available about the seasonal variation in vitamin D levels in the pediatric population in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal influence on the pediatric circulating levels of 25(OH)D. A total of 1790 pediatric outpatients who visited the University healthcare centre were included in this study. Overall, there was a noticeably high prevalence (69%) of both combined 25(OH)D deficiency and insufficiency. The highest mean serum concentration of 25(OH)D was recorded in summer (29 ng/mL) and autumn (27 ng/mL). The deficient and insufficient categories were predominant, accounting for 33% and 36%, respectively. Comparable patterns were recorded during autumn, winter, and spring. Interestingly, the 25(OH)D level was significantly associated with the four seasons (p = 0.001), with females having a higher prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in the spring and summer than males. Furthermore, only in autumn and winter, we found a significant association between gender and 25(OH)D status (p < 0.001 for both). Another association between nationality and the circulating levels 25(OH)D was found during autumn and winter (p < 0.001 and p = 0.01), respectively. In all seasons, age had a negative impact on serum (OH)D levels. However, this relationship was statistically significant (p < 0.05) only in summer, autumn, and winter. Gender was a significant predictor, with 25(OH)D levels in autumn and winter and an odds ratio of 1.67 in autumn and 2 in winter, indicating that being men had a positive influence on circulating 25(OH)D levels. There were highly significant differences in 25(OH)D concentrations among different age categories. The Saudi population experiences low levels of vitamin D, particularly in autumn and winter periods. This study showed that seasonality, age category, nationality, and gender influence vitamin D status, suggesting the need for tailored intervention and monitoring of 25(OH)D status to reach adequate levels of vitamin D. Healthcare practitioners and policymakers may consider the interplay between age, nationality, gender, and seasonal variations when addressing vitamin D status and a targeted supplementation approach for high-risk groups that may develop health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Benameur
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
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Sikandar MZ, Haider SMB, Maqbool I, Ain QU, Naeem S, Naeem A, Sulehri FU. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Vitamin D in Middle-Aged Pakistani Population and the Impact of Sun Exposure on Their Serum Vitamin D Levels. Cureus 2023; 15:e46034. [PMID: 37900447 PMCID: PMC10602935 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding vitamin D (D-KAP) among middle-aged individuals in Pakistan and examine the impact of sun exposure on their serum vitamin D levels. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 80 middle-aged individuals from Lahore, Pakistan. Data on demographics, sun exposure, and D-KAP were collected. Serum vitamin D levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. RESULTS The study revealed inadequate knowledge and awareness of vitamin D among the participants. There was a positive correlation between sun exposure duration and serum vitamin D levels, indicating the importance of sun exposure for maintaining optimal vitamin D status. However, there was no significant difference in practice scores between groups, highlighting the need for interventions to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. CONCLUSION The study emphasizes the need to improve D-KAP in the middle-aged Pakistani population. Public health initiatives should focus on promoting accurate information, addressing cultural beliefs, and encouraging responsible sun exposure practices. Collaborative efforts are crucial to address vitamin D deficiency and its associated health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Iqra Maqbool
- Internal Medicine, Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College, Lahore, PAK
| | - Qurat-Ul- Ain
- Community and Family Medicine, Heavy Industries Taxila Education City Institute of Medical Sciences (HITEC-IMS) and Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Hospital, Wah, PAK
| | - Sana Naeem
- Internal Medicine, Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore, PAK
| | - Awais Naeem
- Emergency Medicine, Central Park Teaching Hospital, Lahore, PAK
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Community-based social and demographic assessment of knowledge, attitudes, practices and medical conditions related to vitamin D deficiency in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. J Biosoc Sci 2021; 54:1100-1124. [PMID: 34725003 DOI: 10.1017/s002193202100050x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin D is an important nutrient for bone health, and vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of various diseases. Gilgit Baltistan, the northern-most area of Pakistan, has a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, despite many nutritional and food safety programmes. The present study aimed to find how knowledge, attitudes and practices associated with vitamin D related to the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among people residing in different areas of Gilgit Baltistan. The cross-sectional study was descriptive and used data from a survey carried out between February 2019 and December 2020 on individuals of both sexes aged 10 years or over in Gilgit Baltistan. Of the 575 survey participants, 306 (53.2%) had experienced signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, i.e. tiredness, fatigue and bone weakness. Approximately 64.8% had some general knowledge of vitamin D and its relation to health. Participants aged 19-25 years had the highest scores on knowledge of vitamin D. Only 22.7% of interviewees had ever taken any supplements and only 25.6% often exposed themselves to sunlight. Females' mean knowledge score (28.7; SD 7.02) was higher than that of males (24; SD 9.01). A lack of consistency was observed between attitude towards daylight exposure and knowledge of vitamin D. There was a large correlation between knowledge and attitude (p = 0.001), while a non-significant association was demonstrated between knowledge and practices (p = 0.1). Better knowledge, attitude and practices by people living in cities or more-developed regions indicates that education can be an effective way to provide awareness regarding micronutrient deficiencies. More emphasis is needed on enhancing knowledge, awareness and practices associated with vitamin D deficiency in rural areas of Pakistan. It is strongly recommended that an awareness campaign on micronutrients is launched in both rural and urban areas of Pakistan, concentrating on poor socioeconomic settings.
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Alqrache A, Mostafa M, Ghabrah O, Ghabrah Z, Kamal N, Ghabrah T, Atta H. Knowledge and Patterns of Dietary Supplement Use among Students Attending King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing 2021; 58:469580211020882. [PMID: 34053321 PMCID: PMC8743916 DOI: 10.1177/00469580211020882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Oral dietary supplements (DSs) include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, energy drinks, and herbal products. The use of DSs is increasing and their manufacturers promote their benefits. Studies have validated some of these benefits, but have also indicated that some DSs can have adverse effects, especially if used without the appropriate supervision. Little information on DS use among Saudis is available. This study assessed the use of dietary supplements among male and female university students with the goal of educating the community about DSs and the dangers associated with their misuse. Online and paper validated questionnaires were administered to King Abdulaziz University (KAU) students between September 2019 and January 2020. The responses were collected and analyzed statistically. Of the 954 KAU students who completed the survey, one-third used DSs (42.9% women vs 25.7% men). Of these, 51.7% believed that DSs are essential for health, 41.7% classified them as both food and drugs, 67.2% were aware that DSs could not replace a healthy diet, and 25.8% were aware of their potentially harmful effects. Multivitamins and minerals were the most used DSs. DS awareness among KAU students is limited. Additional health education is necessary to assist students in their selection of the most suitable DSs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mostafa Mostafa
- King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Omar Ghabrah
- Maternity and Children Hospital, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ziyad Ghabrah
- Maternity and Children Hospital, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nezar Kamal
- King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Hazem Atta
- King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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Knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers on measuring adult vitamin D level, diagnosis of deficiency, and management of consequent health conditions in three ecologies of Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nutr 2020; 6:77. [PMID: 33342438 PMCID: PMC7751119 DOI: 10.1186/s40795-020-00404-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D is essential for health and its shortage exacerbates overall mortality. Health care workers (HCWs) need to educate on its uses and sources although studies indicate their low level of practice. The main aim of this study is therefore to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of measuring adult vitamin D status, diagnosis of deficiency and managing health consequences among HCWs in Ethiopia. METHODS This study was conducted in three ecologies covering lowland, midland and highland districts. A total of 405 health care workers with different levels were interviewed. Tablets were used for data collection to archiving in a cloud server. Data were exported to Stata version 14 software for cleaning and analysis. Rates were computed and the Chi-square test was used to compare differences between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to measure the strength, direction and significance of the association between different covariates and the practice of HCWs. RESULT The level of knowledge, positive attitude and good practice in measuring adult vitamin D status, diagnosis of deficiency and managing health consequences among HCWs was 210 (51.8%), 261(63.5%) and 195(47.4%) respectively. The odds of good practice in the provision of adult vitamin D service were AOR = 6.87: 95% CI (3.57, 13.21) and AOR = 2.20: 95% CI (1.23, 3.92) times higher among HCWs in Addis Ababa and highlands compared with those working in lowlands. Good practice among clinicians was AOR = 4.26: 95% CI (1.48, 12.25) times higher compared with those working in leadership positions. The likelihood was AOR = 1.96: 95% CI (1.19, 3.23) times higher among those with good knowledge compared with those with poor knowledge. Besides, good practice in adult vitamin D service provision was AOR = 2.30: 95% CI (1.40, 3.78) times higher among those with positive attitude compared with those who had negative attitude. CONCLUSIONS A little over half of HCWs have good knowledge and close to two-thirds of them have positive attitude while less than half of them have good practice on adult vitamin D deficiency. Besides, HCWs' residential ecology, clinical position, knowledge and attitude is associated with good practice on adult vitamin D. It is essential to provide rigorous and continuous training for HCWs focusing on their deployment ecology.
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Geddawy A, Al-Burayk AK, Almhaine AA, Al-Ayed YS, Bin-Hotan AS, Bahakim NO, Al-Ghamdi S. Response regarding the importance of vitamin D and calcium among undergraduate health sciences students in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Arch Osteoporos 2020; 15:114. [PMID: 32705622 PMCID: PMC7376825 DOI: 10.1007/s11657-020-00790-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D and calcium are essential dietary components for human body, and their deficiency is linked to poor bone health and osteoporosis. Adequate knowledge of health staff regarding vitamin D and calcium is critical for general population awareness. The current work was to evaluate the awareness regarding the importance of vitamin D and calcium among undergraduate health science students in Al Kharj. METHODS A self-distributed validated questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Undergraduate health science students in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University from the College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, College of Dentistry, and College of Applied Medical Science were included in the study. Students between the age of 18 and 25 years have participated in the study. RESULTS Four hundred fifty-seven undergraduate health science students participated in the study. The vast majority of students knew about the importance of calcium (96.7%) and vitamin D (95.4%), whereas only 89.4% knew about osteoporosis. The participant students reported in their answers that the sources of knowledge were the Internet (42.8%), physicians (41.5%), textbooks (21.2%), teachers (19.1%), family and relatives (18.3%), and/or other sources (6.1%). The overall attitude was poor in about (54%) of the participants showing gender differences regarding sun-exposure duration and supplementation of calcium and vitamin D. CONCLUSION The study revealed that both male and female undergraduate health science students in Al Kharj were familiar with the importance of vitamin D and calcium; however they reported improper attitude that warrants further health guidance and educational programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Geddawy
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University 61511, Minia, Egypt
| | - Abdullah K Al-Burayk
- Undergraduate Medical Student, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah A Almhaine
- Undergraduate Medical Student, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yasser S Al-Ayed
- Undergraduate Medical Student, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulelah S Bin-Hotan
- Undergraduate Medical Student, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nasraddin O Bahakim
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sameer Al-Ghamdi
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia.
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An investigation of the vitamin D Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of UK practising doctors and nurses: the D-KAP study. Proc Nutr Soc 2020. [DOI: 10.1017/s0029665119001411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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