Aybüke BACANLI, Seçil ARICA
Baltalimanı Dergisi - 2026;2(2):39-43
Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is a major global public health concern. Despite its high prevalence, community awareness and knowledge remain insufficient. This study aimed to determine knowledge, attitudes, and supplement use patterns regarding vitamin D deficiency among adults attending a family medicine outpatient clinic Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled 310 adults attending a tertiary hospital outpatient clinic in Istanbul (January - June 2019). Data were collected via structured questionnaire (minimum required sample size was 285; 95% CI, 5% margin of error). Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman correlation were applied; p<0.05 was accepted as significant Results: Of 310 participants (61.6% female; median age 36, range 18-75 years), 54.8% reported ever having used a vitamin D supplement, predominantly upon physician prescription. Among those with prior measurement (n=180), 91.1% had deficiency or insufficiency (finding limited to this subgroup). Women supplemented more than men (66.5% vs 36.1%; p<0.001); chronic disease (p<0.001) and regular medication use (p<0.001) were significantly associated with supplementation. Deficiency was more prevalent in non-working individuals (94.8% vs 89.3%; p=0.016). Knowledge score did not differ significantly by sex (p=0.094), age (p=0.847), education (p=0.128), or supplement use (p=0.056). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in the measured subgroup while specific misconceptions regarding dietary sources persisted despite relatively high scores on basic knowledge items. These findings underscore the need for structured patient education and systematic screening strategies in outpatient clinical settings
