المعارف والممارسات نحو نقص فيتامين د بين النساء في مدينة الإمام الحسين (ع) الطبية في كربلاء

Knowledge and Practices Regarding Vitamin D Deficiency among Women Attending Imam Hussein Medical City in Karbala 2018

Background: vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem. It is significantly associated with skeletal and non-skeletal problems. Prevention can be maintained mainly by effective sun exposure or supplementation and to lesser extent by dietary intake.
Objectives: To determine the knowledge and practices level of women towards vitamin D deficiency.
Methods: A cross sectional study, purposive sample of 442 women was approached (clients and companion of clients) who attended consultants’ clinics of Imam Hussein Medical City in Karbala. Data collection done between 2nd March – 30th June 2018 through direct interview using a questionnaire adapted from similar researches. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program version 20 was used for data analysis and P value of a level < 0.05 considered significant.
Results: less than half (45.2%) of the women had heard about vitamin D; their source of information was from relatives and friends then from health care provider. The mean score for the participants’ knowledge about vitamin D deficiency was 4.25 out of 9.0 (47%). It has significant association with higher educational level and urban residence. There is no significant difference regarding age, marital status or occupation. The mean score for the participants’ practice about vitamin D deficiency was 2.47 out of 4 (61.75%). There is no influence of practice score by socio-demographic factors.
Conclusions: Over all knowledge was suboptimal with a fair level of regarding practices towards VDD.