Assessment of Knowledge and Practices of Vitamin-D Deficiency: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Undergraduate Nursing Students

Objective: To assess the knowledge and practices regarding vitamin D deficiency among undergraduate nursing students in Hayatabad, Peshawar. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in four nursing institutes of Hayatabad, Peshawar, Pakistan on 145 participants. Only 6th and 8th semesters in nursing were in the inclusion criteria. The data was collected through a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The questionnaire was used to collect demographic variables, the knowledge, and the practices of vitamin D. Chi-square test was used to determine the association among knowledge and practices with the demographic variables. Results: of total participants, 91.7% were aged 19–24 years and 64.1% were females. Knowledge levels differed significantly across institutions, with government institute students showing better knowledge compared to private institutes. No significant difference was found between 6th and 8th semesters. Practice scores were generally satisfactory, with older students demonstrating significantly better practices. However, no significant association between institutes and practices was observed (p=0.42). Conclusion: The study revealed moderate to good knowledge of vitamin D deficiency among nursing students. Educational and behavioral interventions are needed to strengthen vitamin D-related health knowledge among healthcare professionals.