Vitamin D Deficiency Treatment Patterns in Academic Urban Medical Center.

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Vitamin D deficiency is a prevalent health concern.
• Understanding disparities in treatment is crucial for equitable healthcare.
• Previous research indicates potential racial/ethnic and sex differences in medical treatment patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial/ethnic and sex disparities in the treatment of vitamin D deficiency.
• To assess the prescription rates of high-dose ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and other vitamin D forms.
• To analyze treatment patterns in an academic urban medical center's ambulatory clinic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study using electronic medication prescribing records.
• Included patients diagnosed with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) deficiency (25OHD < 20 ng/ml) between 2004-2008.
• Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographics and Elixhauser comorbidity score.

Main Results:

• 66.2% of patients with vitamin D deficiency received no vitamin D prescription.
• Black and Hispanic patients had higher initial prescription rates than white patients (37.8%, 38.4% vs. 30.9%).
• Women had higher prescription rates than men (26.3% vs. 7.5%).
• Adjusted models revealed no significant differences in prescription likelihood based on race/ethnicity or sex.

Conclusions:

• Vitamin D supplementation rates for deficiency were low in this patient population.
• Initial analysis showed higher vitamin D prescription rates for Black and Hispanic patients, and for women.
• However, adjusted analyses indicated no significant racial/ethnic or sex disparities in vitamin D treatment, suggesting other factors may influence prescribing patterns.