Assessing General Knowledge and Nutritional Knowledge on the Role of Vitamin D, Attitudes, and Behavior Toward Sun Exposure Among Tertiary Students in Oman

作者：Neela A. Sampat, Mohammed AlRizeiqi, Musthafa Mohamed Essa, L. Al-Subhi, Samir Al-Adawi, M. Qoronfleh · 发表于：Advances in Public Health · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1155/2024/9544155 · 被引用次数：2

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among the Omani population, driven by factors such as urbanization, technology‐driven lifestyles, reduced physical activity, limited sun exposure, unhealthy eating habits, and genetic predispositions. Despite the year‐round availability of sunlight, there is limited understanding of the specific causes of this deficiency and effective strategies to mitigate it.Aim: This study aimed to develop and validate a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire on vitamin D and measure the KAP levels among students at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Oman to inform preventive and educational measures.Methodology: A cross‐sectional study was conducted using a newly developed, self‐administered KAP questionnaire distributed online to a random sample of 1034 Omani students enrolled in various degree programs at SQU. The questionnaire was developed following a standardized protocol, including a literature review, focus group discussions, and expert input. Validity and reliability were assessed using Cronbach’s α coefficient (α ≥ 0.70), and normality was examined with the Shapiro–Wilk test. The 54‐item questionnaire was divided into three domains: general knowledge of vitamin D, nutritional knowledge, and attitudes and behavior toward sun exposure. Descriptive and variance analyses were performed, with qualitative data expressed as numbers and percentages.Results: The questionnaire demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbac...