Improving Rates of Vitamin D Supplementation in Somali Immigrant Infants: A Prospective Interventional Pilot Trial

Rates of vitamin D deficiency and nutritional rickets have been rising over the past several decades, particularly in high-risk infants. This pilot study assessed the impact of providing free vitamin D supplements, a culturally-appropriate educational brochure, and a brief counseling session about the importance of both vitamin D supplementation and breastfeeding to the parents of Somali infants at routine office visits from newborn through 6 months of age at three Federally Qualified Health Centers in Colorado. We also assessed the impact this intervention had on rates of breastfeeding.

Twenty-five Somali infants aged 24 weeks or less were identified by searching electronic health records and enrolled into a historic control group. The parents were then surveyed by phone regarding breastfeeding and vitamin D supplementation. Subsequently, 37 families with newborn Somali infants were identified and enrolled into the intervention arm of the trial.

The intervention group had a higher rate of vitamin D supplementation compared to the historical control group (67 vs. 48 percent, p=0.011) without significantly impacting breastfeeding rates.

These results suggest a practical way to increase vitamin D status in this high-risk population. Trial not registered as it was a pilot study, not a phase II to IV prospective clinical trial.