Original scientific paper
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Vitamin D Deficiency among a sample of Kuwaiti population: A sociocultural Study
Maha Meshari Alsejari
; Department of Sociology and Socialwork , Kuwait University, Kuwait city, Kuwait
Abstract
Despite the high amount of sunshine that Kuwaitis can receive from sunlight in the summer months, there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Kuwaiti individuals .This descriptive study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and related sociocultural and daily life behavior risk factors among 276 Kuwaiti adults based on their blood serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D levels. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a closed-ended questionnaire ; subjects were selected by using a convenient non-random opportunistic sample. The mean vitamin D 25(OH)D level of the participants was 23.44 nmol/L (SD = 10.89). The social demographic factors that were significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency were {sex (P < .05), age, monthly income, marital status, and occupational status (P < .01) }.Participants' daily lifestyle behaviors risk factors that were significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency were{working environment , smoking habit , fast-food consumption , taking supplements (P < .05), and clothing style (P < .001) }.The present study demonstrates that vitamin D deficiency is common among Kuwaiti adults identifies many sociocultural risk factors. Continued effort to increase knowledge and awareness of vitamin D deficiency risk factors and health outcomes is needed through intensive educational programs.
Keywords
Prevalence; Vitamin D Deficiency; sociocultural; medical anthropology; Kuwait
Hrčak ID:
205645
URI
Publication date:
26.6.2018.
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