Primary care pediatrician knowledge of nutritional rickets

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Rickets, a condition caused by vitamin D deficiency, affects bone development in children.
• Primary care pediatricians play a crucial role in identifying and managing rickets.
• Understanding pediatricians' awareness is key to improving infant health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess primary care pediatricians' knowledge regarding the diagnosis and management of rickets.
• To identify potential gaps in provider education concerning vitamin D supplementation for infants.
• To inform the development of targeted educational interventions.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was distributed to 510 pediatricians in the Great Lakes region.
• Data from 248 respondents were analyzed using the Chi-squared (chi2) test.
• The study focused on pediatricians' awareness of rickets diagnosis and treatment protocols.

Main Results:

• 43% of responding pediatricians reported encountering rickets cases in the past five years.
• A significant majority (69%) correctly identified rickets-specific diagnostic tests for vitamin D deficiency.
• Over 94% selected appropriate treatments for vitamin D deficiency rickets.

Conclusions:

• Primary care pediatricians demonstrate substantial awareness of diagnosing and treating vitamin D deficiency rickets.
• Educational initiatives are recommended to enhance vitamin D supplementation practices for breastfed infants.
• Consistent messaging to both physicians and parents is vital for preventing rickets.