Policy for prevention of Asian rickets in Britain: a preliminary assessment of the Glasgow rickets campaign.
Evidence of continuing hospital admissions of patients with Asian rickets and osteomalacia led to a further attempt to provide more effective preventive measures for the Glasgow Asian community. Dose-response studies showed that the equivalent of 10 microgram of vitamin D daily would provide effective prophylaxis, and a general practice survey showed that self-administered vitamin D supplements would reduce the prevalence and severity of Asian rickets. A multidisciplinary working group devised a preventive campaign based on the free issue of vitamin D supplements on demand to children who required them. Supported by a health education programme for community health personnel and the Asian community, the first 16 months of the campaign produced an eight-fold rise in the issue of supplements to older Asian children and a 33% increase in their issue to infants of all ethnic groups. Because more children are receiving vitamin D supplementation the campaign seems likely to reduce the prevalence of Asian rickets in Glasgow.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010018:Osteomalacia / Q000517:prevention & control; D012279:Rickets / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012606:Scotland; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use
D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D014807:Vitamin D