Vitamin D Level Testing in an Urban Midwest Clinic: To Test or Not to Test?

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Clinical Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is prevalent in urban U.S. Midwest populations, disproportionately affecting African Americans.
• Screening guidelines for VDD remain debated, impacting clinical practice.
• Understanding testing patterns and VDD prevalence in diverse urban settings is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine VDD prevalence and associated risk factors.
• To analyze disparities in VDD testing rates within an urban internal medicine clinic.
• To evaluate the correlation between demographic risk factors and actual VDD testing.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective data collection from adult patients at an urban internal medicine clinic in 2018.
• Descriptive statistical analysis of patient demographics, vitamin D levels, and testing frequency.
• Analysis of factors influencing VDD testing and correlation with diagnosed deficiency.

Main Results:

• Out of 3976 patients, 18% were tested for vitamin D; 71% of those tested had VDD.
• Women and African Americans were more frequently tested but not necessarily more deficient.
• Certain medical conditions increased testing likelihood, while chronic kidney disease was associated with lower VDD rates.

Conclusions:

• Low vitamin D testing rates may lead to undiagnosed deficiencies.
• Testing disparities do not consistently align with demographic VDD risk factors.
• Standardized vitamin D testing protocols could improve patient care and diagnosis.