Fazale Haq, Rukhsana Khan, Zille Huma Mustehsan.
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices regarding Vitamin D among Students of Saidu Medical College, Swat.
Pak J Public Health Jan ;7(1):1-4.

Background: Vitamin D is also known as the â??Vitamin of Sunâ?. More than one billion people are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency globally; it is an epidemic and a very serious global public health problem. In South Asia, Vitamin D deficiency is quite prevalent. Many recent studies have shown that vitamin D helps in preventing cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, dietary and sunshine practices regarding Vitamin D among students of Saidu Medical College, Swat. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among 106 students of Saidu Medical College, Swat. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all students and data was analyzed on SPSS 20. Results: Majority of the students 72% had good knowledge of Vitamin D and its synthesis in the body. 91% of the students were aware of the source of Vitamin D and 87.5% knew about sources of vitamin D. However, the attitude of students towards sunlight exposure was poor as 65.2% students disliked being in the sun, 62.5% thought that sunlight exposure was harmful for skin, and 65.4% of the students thought that their Vitamin D levels were sufficient without getting their laboratory tests done.59.6% students used sunscreen in summer. Conclusion: The student's knowledge about Vitamin D was good but their attitude towards sun exposure and dietary practices did not match their knowledge. Medical students, being the future physicians and health care providers, must possess current knowledge about Vitamin D and should also look after their own health and dietary practices.

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