Awareness of vitamin D deficiency states and recommended supplementation doses: Survey of faculty and staff at a medical school

SummaryBackground & aimsAdequate vitamin D is essential for good health. It is important that physicians are aware that deficiency occurs even in areas with plentiful sunshine.MethodsWe used e-mail distribution lists to anonymously survey physicians (MDs) and non-physicians (non-MDs) of a Southeastern USA medical school in order to determine awareness of conditions associated with vitamin D deficiency, percentage of subjects who had had their vitamin D levels checked, percentage of subjects who were aware they had low vitamin D, MD-recommended doses for supplementation, and MD factors associated with recommending doses >800 IU/day.ResultsA minority (21%) of all subjects had their vitamin D level checked and two thirds of those who knew their level reported it low. Multivariate logistic regression showed: 1) having vitamin D checked was associated with personally taking vitamin D, 2) MDs were more likely to take vitamin D than non-MDs, and 3) a trend that MDs who had their vitamin D level checked recommended higher supplementary doses (≥800 IU/day) for their patients.ConclusionsLow self-reported vitamin D levels are prevalent in our sample of MDs and non-MDs living in an area of the USA with plentiful sunshine.