Assessment of Vitamin D-related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Sultan Qaboos University Students in Oman: a Cross-sectional Study

Overview

Journal BMJ Public Health

Publisher BMJ Publishing Group

Date 2025 Feb 28

PMID 40018146

Authors

Rahma Said Al Hadhrami

Rehab Al Kaabi

Hajer Juma Al Shuaibi

Rawan Salim Al Abdulsalam

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D deficiency, a circulating level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D <30 nmol/L, has become an emerging public health issue in recent years. Despite being a sun-rich country, vitamin D deficiency is widespread in Oman (87.5%).

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding vitamin D among university students in Oman to assess the need for additional awareness campaigns.

Methods And Sitting: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2022 and involved 399 students enrolled in various degree programmes at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Muscat, Oman, using self-administered, 38-item vitamin D-related KAP (D-KAP-38) questionnaire to collect information regarding the participants' vitamin D-related general knowledge, nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practices.

Results: Of the 399 college students, 384 (96.2%) were Omani nationals, 283 (70.9%) were women and 255 (64.1%) were between the ages of 20 and 26 years. Overall, the participants demonstrated moderate general knowledge (mean D-KAP-38 score: 77.3), poor nutritional knowledge (mean D-KAP-38 score: 45.1), moderate attitudes (mean D-KAP-38 score: 64.4) and average practices (mean D-KAP-38 score: 60.0). In general, female students demonstrated greater general knowledge (p=0.004) and more positive attitudes (p=0.007) compared with males; however, males more frequently reported better practices (p<0.001). In addition, participants who lived off-campus reported better practices compared with those living on-campus (p<0.001).

Conclusions: University students in Oman demonstrated moderate vitamin D-related general knowledge, attitudes and practices, while nutritional knowledge was poor.

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