PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alshamsan, Fatimah M.
AU  - Bin-Abbas, Bassam S.
TI  - Knowledge, awareness, attitudes and sources of vitamin D deficiency and sufficiency in Saudi children
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2016.5.14951
DP  - 2016 May 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 579--583
VI  - 37
IP  - 5
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/37/5/579.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/37/5/579.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2016 May 01; 37
AB  - Objectives: To examine the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding vitamin D and its sources among Saudi Arabian children.Methods: One hundred patients (vitamin D-deficient children) and 100 healthy children participated in the study. Participants were interviewed separately on topics including their awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding vitamin D using multiple-choice, and short-answer questions. This prospective, cross-sectional study was performed on children and adolescents between January 2011 and December 2011 at the Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Results: Only 28% were aware of the sources of vitamin D, while 64% of healthy subjects were aware. Similarly, only 50% of patients and their parents knew of the health benefits of vitamin D, while 70% of healthy subjects had knowledge. Hence, our findings agree with previous findings that low levels of awareness and knowledge regarding vitamin D and its sources persist.Conclusion: Most vitamin D deficient cases were unaware of vitamin D sources. However, half of the patient/parents were aware of benefits of vitamin D. Hence, we recommend that an improved campaign for awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding vitamin D and its sources are needed.