Abstract:

Differences in knowledge and practices related to vitamin D may reduce the effectiveness of preventive interventions. The study is carried out to assess nurses and patients’ knowledge, practices, and attitudes toward vitamin D in tertiary healthcare facility. Nurses and patients of such tertiary care hospital-based units above 18 years were included in the cross-sectional study. A validated questionnaire was used to extract the personal characteristics of the samples and to assess knowledge, practices, and attitudes with regard to vitamin D The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 with independent t-tests, chi-square tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p < 0.05 level. Nurses demonstrated a higher level of knowledge compared to patients, particularly in the domains of calcium absorption and bone health, as well as dietary sources of vitamin D. Both groups expressed positive perceptions of vitamin D, and nurses exhibited a higher degree of consensus regarding their responsibility to educate patients. A discrepancy was observed between nurses' and patients' perceptions regarding the assessment of vitamin D levels, with 46.6% of nurses reporting that they routinely assess their patients' levels. The study showed that less than half of the patients followed the recommended practices. Only a few of them took supplements and got enough sun. The results showed a strong connection between age and education levels, on one side, and knowledge, attitudes, and actions, on the other. Both patients and nurses had trouble applying vitamin D in practice, but nurses had more knowledge and were more positive about it.

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