KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AMONG THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES POPULATION

OSAMA MOHAMED IBRAHIM; NOOR KIFAH AL-TAMEEMI; DALIA DAWOUD

doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i18.33988

Authors

OSAMA MOHAMED IBRAHIM Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2868-039X
NOOR KIFAH AL-TAMEEMI Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5712-5889
DALIA DAWOUD Department of Clinical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i18.33988

Keywords:

Vitamin D deficiency, Insufficiency, Awareness, Perceptions, Prevalence, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the Vitamin D deficiency awareness and perceptions between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among the population of two emirates at the UAE: Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Results: Overall, 434 participants completed the survey. Majority of people were aware of phenomenon of Vitamin D deficiency, but only 21.4% of them knew that sunlight is considered the main source of Vitamin D. Moreover, less than half of participants check their Vitamin D blood level regularly and around 55% of them follow-up with their physicians after completing the treatment. High proportion of participant females spend <1 h outdoors (60%) and use sunscreen daily (55%) that cause higher prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency among females than males (83% vs. 42%).

Conclusion: This research gives some insights regarding the UAE population’s awareness and perceptions of Vitamin D insufficiency. Decreased awareness of sunlight exposure as a major source of Vitamin D, in addition to lifestyle, contributed to Vitamin D deficiency problem among the UAE population, in general, and in females, in particular.

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Author Biography

OSAMA MOHAMED IBRAHIM, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Corresponding author, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, E-mail: oibrahim@sharjah.ac.ae , Tel.: 00971501667203, P.O Box 27272

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