Table 2 Knowledge of the participants regarding sun exposure and vitamin D across different demographic strata has been compared. Here, we provide the total number of participants (n) together with the frequency percentages (%) in response to the questions. A significant difference in knowledge was observed, as indicated by a p-value of less than 0.001
Questions asked to the respondents | Answer options (checkbox) | Registered doctors n = 400 ( %) | Intern doctors n = 457 (%) | MBBS students (4th / 5th year); n = 957 (%) | BDS students (4th / 5th year); n = 376 (%) | χ2 | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Which is the best time to get vitamin D from direct sunlight in Bangladesh? | From sunrise to 10 am | 296 (74%) | 320 (70%) | 603 (63%) | 293 (78%) | 58.393096 |  < 0.001 |
10 am to 3Â pm | 72 (18%) | 101 (22%) | 239 (25%) | 64 (17%) | Â | ||
From 3Â pm to sunset | 8 (2%) | 9 (2%) | 67 (7%) | 8 (2%) | |||
Not sure | 24 (6%) | 27 (6%) | 48 (5%) | 11 (3%) | |||
What should be the required minimum duration of direct sunlight exposure per week for Bangladeshi population to get adequate vitamin D? | 5 -15 min | 68 (17%) | 101 (22%) | 163 (17%) | 83 (22%) | 93.559972 |  < 0.001 |
15- < 30 min | 208 (52%) | 183 (40%) | 354 (37%) | 135 (36%) | |||
30 min – 1 h | 56 (14%) | 55 (12%) | 220 (23%) | 68 (18%) | |||
1 – 3 h | 44 (11%) | 87 (19%) | 172 (18%) | 41 (11%) | |||
More than 3Â h | 24 (6%) | 32 (7%) | 48 (5%) | 49 (13%) | |||
Which of the following are the symptoms associated with vitamin D deficiency?* | Bone and waist pain | 328 (82%) | 379 (83%) | 756 (79%) | 312 (83%) | 71.025201 |  < 0.001 |
Bone loss | 224 (56%) | 265 (58%) | 526 (55%) | 274 (73%) | |||
Depression | 56 (14%) | 64 (14%) | 96 (10%) | 49 (13%) | |||
Hair loss | 140 (35%) | 201 (44%) | 373 (39%) | 120 (32%) | |||
Tiredness | 108 (27%) | 142 (31%) | 316 (33%) | 98 (26%) | |||
Frequent illness | 120 (30%) | 69 (15%) | 163 (17%) | 53 (14%) | |||
For which of the following diseases, deficiency of vitamin D can be a risk factor?* | Osteoporosis | 356 (89%) | 407 (89%) | 813 (85%) | 338 (90%) | 187.214245 |  < 0.001 |
Heart disease | 44 (11%) | 27 (6%) | 86 (9%) | 38 (10%) | |||
Autoimmune disease | 56 (14%) | 105 (23%) | 163 (17%) | 83 (22%) | |||
Diabetes | 24 (6%) | 14 (3%) | 77 (8%) | 19 (5%) | |||
Obesity | 28 (7%) | 32 (7%) | 67 (7%) | 19 (5%) | |||
Cancer | 20 (5%) | 174 (38%) | 230 (24%) | 83 (22%) | |||
Anemia | 48 (12%) | 41 (9%) | 67 (7%) | 15 (4%) | |||
Autism | 28 (7%) | 41 (9%) | 105 (11%) | 26 (7%) | |||
Tuberculosis | 4 (1%) | 5 (1%) | 57 (6%) | 8 (2%) | |||
Arthritis | 212 (53%) | 320 (70%) | 526 (55%) | 184 (49%) | |||
Hypertension | 16 (4%) | 9 (2%) | 67 (7%) | 19 (5%) | |||
Not sure | 16 (4%) | 14 (3%) | 38 (4%) | 15 (4%) | |||
Which group of Bangladeshi population is likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency?* | New born (< 2 years) | 100 (25%) | 219 (48%) | 354 (37%) | 165 (44%) | 199.123366 |  < 0.001 |
Children (2 – 12 years) | 84 (21%) | 101 (22%) | 354 (37%) | 165 (44%) | |||
Adolescents (13 – 19 years) | 48 (12%) | 91 (20%) | 163 (17%) | 86 (23%) | |||
Pregnant women | 216 (54%) | 201 (44%) | 373 (39%) | 169 (45%) | |||
Postmenopausal women | 116 (29%) | 137 (30%) | 392 (41%) | 117 (31%) | |||
Elderly men and women | 216 (54%) | 251 (55%) | 488 (51%) | 120 (32%) | |||
Corporate employee | 124 (31%) | 91 (20%) | 201 (21%) | 56 (15%) | |||
Garments worker | 96 (24%) | 110 (24%) | 230 (24%) | 71 (19%) | |||
Heart patients | 16 (4%) | 14 (3%) | 38 (4%) | 26 (7%) | |||
What could be the average prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in Bangladesh? | Less than 25% | 88 (22%) | 73 (16%) | 230 (24%) | 94 (25%) | 32.893841 |  < 0.001 |
25–50% | 204 (51%) | 215 (47%) | 431 (45%) | 147 (39%) | |||
50–75% | 68 (17%) | 101 (22%) | 182 (19%) | 98 (26%) | |||
More than 75% | 40 (10%) | 69 (15%) | 115 (12%) | 38 (10%) |