Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and clinical associations among veiled East African women in Washington State.
OBJECTIVE
Cultural and biological factors place immigrant women from equatorial Africa at increased risk of vitamin D insufficiency. This could in part explain the high prevalence of fatigue, musculoskeletal complaints, and depressive symptoms in this population.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study of East African immigrant women in Washington State, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum concentrations and multiple measures of physical and psychological symptoms were assessed. Mean serum 25(OH)D serum concentrations and chi-square were used to assess differences between groups. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore differences in the symptoms of subjects with varying degrees of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency.


RESULTS
Of the 75 women interviewed and who completed surveys, 25(OH)D serum samples were available in 71 subjects. All were found to have low 25(OH)D; 9 (12.3%) had <or=8 ng/mL, 29 (40.9%) had 8.1-15 ng/mL, and 33 (44.9%) had 15.1-30 ng/mL. After controlling for age, women with 25(OH)D < 15 ng/mL were 66% less likely to drink milk than women with 25(OH)D >or= 15 ng/mL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11-0.99). Musculoskeletal complaints, depressive symptoms, and fatigue did not correlate with the severity of 25(OH)D insufficiency.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D insufficiency, as reflected by low 25(OH)D serum concentrations, was a universal finding in this group of women, suggesting the need for widespread education and intervention in this and other immigrant groups at northern latitudes.
Reed
Susan D L
SD
Public Health Services Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. reeds@u.washington.edu
Laya
Mary B
MB
Melville
Jennifer
J
Ismail
Sirad Y
SY
Mitchell
Caroline M
CM
Ackerman
Diana R
DR
D000328:Adult; D000351:Africa, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003020:Clothing; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D