Browsing by Author "Diress Molla Yirdaw"

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    Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Factors among Patients Presenting with Nonspecific Musculoskeletal pain and Neurologic Symptoms: A Cross-sectional Study in Asella Town Hospitals, Ethiopia, 2025
    (2025-05-01) Diress Molla Yirdaw
    Abstract Background: Vitamin D deficiency; an established contributor to nonspecific musculoskeletal and neurological symptoms; is increasingly reported even in tropical regions such as Ethiopia despite abundant sunlight. However, little is known about its burden among adults presenting with these symptoms in southeast Ethiopia. This study addresses this gap by assessing the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associated factors among adults attending hospitals in Asella Town with these symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 adults presenting with nonspecific musculoskeletal pain or neurological symptoms at Assela Referral Hospital and Rehoboth General Hospital. Participants were selected using convenience sampling, enrolling eligible adults who presented to the study hospitals from June 1 2025 to October 30, 2025. Data were collected using a structured, Kobo-based questionnaire administered by trained data collectors. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured using an ELISA assay following standard procedures. Data were exported, cleaned, and analyzed in SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and vitamin D deficiency prevalence using frequencies, percentages (for categorical variables) and means with standard deviations (continuous variables). Bivariate analysis identified crude associations, and variables with p < 0.25 were included in a multivariable analysis model. Statistical significance was determined using adjusted odds ratios (AOR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and p-values < 0.05. Results: Among 200 adult participants, 129 (64.5%; 95% CI: 57.6–71.4%) had vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) and 60 (30%; 95% CI: 23.8–36.7%) had insufficiency (20-30 ng/ml). After adjustment, Participants exposed to sunlight for ≤30 minutes per day had more than 4 times odds of Vitamin D deficiency compared with those exposed to >30 minutes per day (AOR = 4.42; 95% CI: 1.04–8.77). Individuals who rarely consumed vitamin D–rich foods (fish, eggs, dairy) had almost 4-fold increased likelihood of Vitamin D deficiency (AOR = 3.83; 95% CI: 1.57–9.32). Participants who did not engage in physical activity were nearly 3 times likely to be Vitamin D deficient (AOR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.52–5.59). Sunscreen use (AOR = 2.74; 95% CI: 1.14–6.54), higher BMI (AOR = 1.18 per 1 kg/m²; 95% CI: 1.01–1.37), and greater pain severity (AOR = 3.63 per 1-point increase; 95% CI: 2.11–5.91) are significant independent predictors. Conclusion: prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency was high among study participants and was primarily related to modifiable behavioral factors such as inadequate sunlight exposure, obesity, and sunscreen use and poor intake of vitamin d rich foods. Public health interventions emphasizing safe sun exposure, healthy body weight, and dietary vitamin D intake are recommended to mitigate the burden of vitamin D deficiency and its impacts. Keywords: Vitamin D deficiency, risk factors, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, Ethiopia