Assessment of vitamin D levels, awareness among Lebanese pharmacy students, and impact of pharmacist counseling

Diana Malaeb; Souheil Hallit; Pascale Salameh

doi:10.1016/j.jegh.2016.09.001

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Volume 7, Issue 1, March 2017, Pages 55 - 62

Assessment of vitamin D levels, awareness among Lebanese pharmacy students, and impact of pharmacist counseling

Authors

Diana Malaeb^a, Souheil Hallit^b^{, *}^,souheilhallit@hotmail.com, Pascale Salameh^b^{, c}

^aSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon

^bSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon

^cSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon

^*Corresponding author at: Hallit Building 560, 1st floor, Street 8, Biakout, Mount Lebanon, Lebanon.

Corresponding Author

Souheil Hallitsouheilhallit@hotmail.com

Received 4 November 2015, Accepted 5 September 2016, Available Online 4 October 2016.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.09.001 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Awareness; Counseling; Pharmacist; Vitamin D
Abstract: Vitamin D inadequacy, frequently underdiagnosed, affects people of all age groups worldwide. This prospective study aims at determining the percentage of inadequate vitamin D levels among students and evaluating the impact of pharmacist counseling on raising the awareness of the importance of sun exposure and adequate vitamin D intake. A total of 160 university students were recruited. Blood samples were taken to check the vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorous levels. Vitamin D levels ⩽30 ng/mL were defined as inadequate. Scores were given to the questions and aimed at gathering patient knowledge about vitamin D before and after pharmacist counseling. A total of 115 (71.87%) patients had vitamin D levels <30 ng/mL, with a mean vitamin D serum level of 16.80 ± 5.85 ng/mL. The mean level of calcium was 9.51 ± 1.23 mg/dL and, of phosphorus 3.62 ± 0.95 mg/dL. The mean difference in the knowledge score of the recommended daily amount of vitamin D before and after pharmacist counseling was 2.81 versus 5.88 (p < 0.001). Concerning patient education for diseases and drugs that affect vitamin D levels, pharmacist counseling was effective in raising the awareness (p < 0.001). Given that vitamin D inadequacy is linked to many disease progressions, it is important that health professionals provide interventional strategies and education measures to correct inadequate levels in patients of all age groups.
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue: 7 - 1
Pages: 55 - 62
Publication Date: 2016/10/04
ISSN (Online): 2210-6014
ISSN (Print): 2210-6006
DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.09.001 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Cite this article

ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Diana Malaeb
AU  - Souheil Hallit
AU  - Pascale Salameh
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/10/04
TI  - Assessment of vitamin D levels, awareness among Lebanese pharmacy students, and impact of pharmacist counseling
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 55
EP  - 62
VL  - 7
IS  - 1
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2016.09.001
DO  - 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.09.001
ID  - Malaeb2016
ER  -

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