Background: Recently, many studies examined the benefits of vitamin D for different conditions. Also, vitamin D plays a significant role in the prevention and management of skin diseases. However, data on the knowledge of the general public toward the importance of vitamin D is unclear, especially its role in dermatological conditions. This survey analysis aims to explore the level of knowledge among the Saudi population living in Hail city, Saudi Arabia, toward the importance of vitamin D level in dermatological diseases.
Methodology: A self-administered structured questionnaire was distributed online, including questions on the importance of vitamin D level in the prevention and treatment of different dermatological diseases, in addition to socio-demographic data. Data analysis was done through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program version 24.
Results: 500 participants responded to this survey. The mean score for the knowledge question over the whole cohort was 3.33 ± 2.105, with a minimum score of zero and a maximum score of seven. Females had a significantly higher score (3.50 ± 1.937) compared to males at (p-value = 0.005). Also, subjects who had a previous leveling for vitamin D showed a considerably higher score (3.83 ± 1.988) compared to subjects who did not
have the investigation before (p-value < 0.001).
Conclusion: The level of knowledge toward the role of vitamin D in dermatology among the Saudi community in Hail is considered unsatisfactory. Future studies should focus on exploring the reasons behind this inadequate level of knowledge about vitamin D.
Key words: Vitamin D, dermatologic, Hail region, Saudi Arabia
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