title: Vitamin D deficiency: knowledge and practices among the adult population in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
abstract: Research demonstrate that vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with bone diseases (e.g., osteoporosis), muscle cramps, back pain, heart diseases, diabetes mellitus, etc. The lack of knowledge and poor practice of study subjects regarding vitamin D deficiency became evident in this study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin D is vital for the growth and development of the body throughout the life span. The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge and the practices related to vitamin D deficiency among the adult population in Sharjah, UAE.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged 20-40 years in Sharjah, UAE. Participants were selected from public places using convenience sampling method. They were subjected to a self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20 software. All knowledge-related questions were summed up, where a correct answer was given 1 point and incorrect one a 0, yielding a score out of 43. Subjects' scores were then transformed to a percentage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 503 adults were included in the study. They had a mean age of 30 years (±5.47) with a relatively homogenous gender distribution (51 % females). The mean knowledge score on vitamin D deficiency was 16.7 out of 43 (39 %). Less than half of the respondents (43 %) knew that sunlight is the main source of vitamin D. The mean score for participants' practice was 2.34 out of 6 (39 %); 77 % of them reported that they tried to avoid sun exposure, and 97 % had not tested vitamin D levels in their blood before.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the adults demonstrated significant lack of knowledge and poor practices towards vitamin D and its deficiency. Therefore, attempts to increase the awareness about this issue are required through establishing educational campaigns targeting the general public in Sharjah, UAE.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Sharjah (UOS), University City Road, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. wida_i7@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Vida A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Salmanpour
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Sharjah (UOS), University City Road, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Hassan S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Sharjah (UOS), University City Road, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Ahmad G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Salameh
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Sharjah (UOS), University City Road, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Amel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yahya
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Sharjah (UOS), University City Road, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Basel K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Debal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D014807:Vitamin D; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Adult population; Direct sun exposure; Joint and bone weakness; United Arab Emirates; Vitamin D deficiency