Dietary supplements - use and safety perception: A study among hospitalized dermatology patients

Evidence suggests that the use of dietary supplements in patients with various disorders is growing. The study aims to examine the use of drug supplements in patients with dermatological disorders, regarding their type, the reasons and predictors of their use, and the safety beliefs and communication attitude of users.

A cross-sectional study of patients hospitalized in the Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology at the University Нospital in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, was carried out from October 2018 to December 2019. Data were collected using a specially designed and validated questionnaire. Statistical analysis included the χ²-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and logistic regression.

Overall 348 patients (204 females and 144 males) were involved in the study. The patients who reported having used dietary supplements were 67% of the study population. Various combinations ranked first among the dietary supplement types, and vitamins/minerals presented a substantial part (75.9%). The majority of the patients (61.6%) used dietary supplements for more than one reason, mainly for organ-related disorders. Most of the respondents (76.4%) considered them to be completely safe. Higher education (OR = 1.91; CI: 1.14 - 3.19), being a non-smoker (OR = 1.81; CI:1.14 - 2.88), and sporting activities (OR = 1.71; CI: 1.03 - 2.83) increased the odds of using dietary supplements.

The examined cohort of dermatology patients presented a dietary supplement user profile similar to the general population. The study confirmed that these products are considered to be safe by the majority of participants. Factors indicative of a healthy lifestyle and higher education were predictive for their use.