Vitamin D Prescribing Practices in Primary Care Pediatrics: Underpinnings From the Health Belief Model and Use of Web-Based Delphi Technique for Instrument Validity

J Pediatr Health Care. 2018 Nov-Dec;32(6):536-547. doi: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2018.03.003. Epub 2018 May 24.

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is a pandemic problem in children and adolescents in the United States. The problem may be aggravated by the inconsistent implementation of current clinical practice guidelines for vitamin D management by pediatric primary care providers. This study examines the relationship between primary care providers' prescribing vitamin D to children ages 1 through 18 years and their practice actions and knowledge. A descriptive correlation design was used. Participants were recruited from a purposive sample of pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners through an online invitation to participate in a survey. Reliability and validity was established for the survey developed by the principal investigator using a web-based Delphi technique. Results from this study indicate that although most providers are aware that vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are problems, fewer than half currently recommend 600- to 1,000-IU supplementation to their patients ages 1 through 18 years.

Keywords: Clinical practice guidelines; Vitamin D deficiency; Vitamin D insufficiency.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Delphi Technique*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Female
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians' / statistics & numerical data*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / drug therapy
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology

Substances

  • Vitamin D