(Preventing) two birds with one stone: improving vitamin D levels in the elderly

A majority of adults have sub-optimal vitamin D levels in the winter in southern New Zealand. This is associated with an increased risk of falls and fragility fractures in the elderly, with long-term adverse outcomes likely. Vitamin D supplementation decreases the risks of both falls and fractures.

An intervention was undertaken by a small urban general practice to increase the number of elderly patients receiving vitamin D supplementation by linking vitamin D prescription to the annual flu vaccination campaign.

Uptake of the supplementation was high and costs to the practice low. Thirty-eight patients were identified for whom long-term supplementation with vitamin D was indicated.

The study could have been strengthened by incorporating a more formal method of evaluating uptake.

Encouraging patients to take supplements as a population-based strategy is a realistic intervention, and linking it to the flu vaccination campaign is both seasonally appropriate and efficient.