Lawless Susie, White Phil, Murdoch Prue, Leitch Sharon
Amity Health Centre, 343 Highgate, Roslyn, Dunedin 9010, New Zealand.
J Prim Health Care. 2011 Jun 1;3(2):150-2.
A majority of adults have sub-optimal vitamin D levels in the winter in southern New Zealand. This is associated with an increased risk of falls and fragility fractures in the elderly, with long-term adverse outcomes likely. Vitamin D supplementation decreases the risks of both falls and fractures.
An intervention was undertaken by a small urban general practice to increase the number of elderly patients receiving vitamin D supplementation by linking vitamin D prescription to the annual flu vaccination campaign.
Uptake of the supplementation was high and costs to the practice low. Thirty-eight patients were identified for whom long-term supplementation with vitamin D was indicated.
The study could have been strengthened by incorporating a more formal method of evaluating uptake.
Encouraging patients to take supplements as a population-based strategy is a realistic intervention, and linking it to the flu vaccination campaign is both seasonally appropriate and efficient.
在新西兰南部，大多数成年人在冬季的维生素D水平未达最佳状态。这与老年人跌倒及脆性骨折风险增加相关，可能会导致长期不良后果。补充维生素D可降低跌倒和骨折的风险。
一个小型城市全科诊所采取了一项干预措施，通过将维生素D处方与年度流感疫苗接种活动挂钩，增加接受维生素D补充剂的老年患者数量。
补充剂的服用率很高，诊所成本很低。确定了38名需要长期补充维生素D的患者。
纳入更正式的评估服用率的方法本可加强该研究。
鼓励患者作为一项基于人群的策略服用补充剂是一种切实可行的干预措施，将其与流感疫苗接种活动挂钩既符合季节特点又高效。
