title: Vitamin D status of adolescent inpatients in a secure psychiatric hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to use routinely collected data on vitamin D levels of adolescents detained in a secure psychiatric hospital to see if this at-risk group for vitamin D deficiency do in fact have low vitamin D levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vitamin D blood levels were collated from clinical records of inpatients admitted to Bluebird House, a medium secure adolescent unit, since 2012. Corresponding data were gathered to include gender, ethnic status and age. Blood levels were assessed on admission to the unit and after treatment with vitamin D supplementation, if indicated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 3 out of the 35 patients (8.6%) had adequate vitamin D levels (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-OHD] > 50 nmol/l). A total of 23 patients (65.7%) had levels consistent with deficiency (25-OHD < 30 nmol/l) with the remaining 9 patients (25.7%) showing levels indicating possible deficiency (25-OHD 30-50 nmol/l.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D levels were low in our sample of young people admitted to a secure psychiatric hospital. This is the first published study of vitamin D levels in a secure adolescent psychiatric hospital. The results point to the need for routine prescription of vitamin D to adolescents held in secure conditions such as hospitals, secure children's homes and youth offender institutes.
authors.affiliation: Bluebird House, Tatchbury Mount, Calmore, Southampton SO40 2RZ, UK.
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Bluebird House, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Elliott
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riordan-Eva
authors.affiliation: Bluebird House, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Bharathi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.affiliation: Bluebird House, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Uresh
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ferdinandez
keywords: Calcichew; adolescent; deficiency; forensic; secure hospital; vitamin D