Almutairi Muhammad A, AlYahia Omer
Family Medicine, Family Medicine Academy, Buraidah, SAU.
Family Medicine, Qassim Health Cluster, Buraidah, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 6;16(7):e63967. doi: 10.7759/cureus.63967. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Introduction Vitamin D, essential for various bodily functions, exists as D2 and D3, synthesized from plant and animal sources. Deficiency, linked to reduced intake, sun exposure, or metabolic disorders, poses health risks like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Management includes fortification, supplements, and individual assessment to avoid toxicity. Our study aimed to assess the public awareness of vitamin D deficiency in Qassim, Saudi Arabia, examining its relationship with sociodemographic factors. Methodology This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia, employing convenient non-probability sampling among a population of 375 individuals. Data collection was facilitated through a validated questionnaire, and subsequent coding, data entry, and analysis were executed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results Our study included 375 adults in Qassim, Saudi Arabia, revealing varying vitamin D deficiency awareness levels. Most were women (n = 204, 54.4%) residing in urban areas (n = 293, 78.1%). At the same time, 77.6% (n = 291) had prior knowledge of vitamin D and fewer practiced habits conducive to its synthesis, with 47.7% (n = 179) including vitamin D-rich foods and 39.2% (n = 147) exposing themselves to sunlight. Family/friends (n = 99, 26.4%) were the primary information source. Participants scored (n = 183, 48.8%) good or high on vitamin D awareness. Education level (p = 0.028), urban residence (p = 0.001), employment status (p = 0.032), and income (p = 0.001) significantly influenced awareness, and gender, age, and marital status showed no significant associations with vitamin D awareness. Conclusion Our study shows that the majority have prior knowledge of vitamin D, yet significant gaps exist in awareness of vitamin D deficiency among adults in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Education, urban residence, employment, and income were critical determinants of awareness, underscoring the need for targeted educational interventions. There is a need to provide information about vitamin D and its other aspects through various media, such as television and social platforms.
引言 维生素D对身体的各种功能至关重要，它以D2和D3的形式存在，分别由植物和动物来源合成。维生素D缺乏与摄入量减少、日照不足或代谢紊乱有关，会带来糖尿病和心血管疾病等健康风险。管理措施包括强化补充、膳食补充剂以及个体评估以避免中毒。我们的研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯卡西姆地区公众对维生素D缺乏的认知情况，并研究其与社会人口学因素的关系。
方法 本横断面研究在沙特阿拉伯卡西姆地区进行，采用方便抽样的非概率抽样方法，选取了375名个体作为研究对象。通过一份经过验证的问卷进行数据收集，随后使用IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows 27.0版本（2020年发布；IBM公司，美国纽约州阿蒙克）进行编码、数据录入和分析。
结果 我们的研究纳入了沙特阿拉伯卡西姆地区的375名成年人，结果显示他们对维生素D缺乏的认知水平各不相同。大多数为女性（n = 204，54.4%），居住在城市地区（n = 293，78.1%）。同时，77.6%（n = 291）的人之前了解过维生素D，但养成有助于其合成的习惯的人较少，47.7%（n = 179）的人会摄入富含维生素D的食物，39.2%（n = 147）的人会晒太阳。家人/朋友（n = 99，26.4%）是主要的信息来源。参与者中，对维生素D认知得分为“良好”或“较高”的有183人（48.8%）。教育程度（p = 0.028）、城市居住情况（p = 0.001）、就业状况（p = 0.032）和收入（p = 0.001）对认知有显著影响，而性别、年龄和婚姻状况与维生素D认知无显著关联。
结论 我们的研究表明，大多数人之前了解过维生素D，但沙特阿拉伯卡西姆地区的成年人对维生素D缺乏的认知仍存在显著差距。教育程度、城市居住情况、就业和收入是认知的关键决定因素，这凸显了有针对性的教育干预的必要性。有必要通过电视和社交平台等各种媒体提供有关维生素D及其其他方面的信息。
