ANALYSIS OF VITAMIN D LEVELS IN HOME CARE PATIENTS

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency has become epidemic for all age groups in the United States and Europe.The aim of this research is to evaluate the vitamin D deficiency and related lifestyle reasons.Method:This research is done in Home Care patients registered to Ä°stanbul Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital between January 2015 – February 2016. After getting the patients’ vitamin D records retrospectively, we have inquired patients if they have regular exposure to sun light, if they actively or passively excersized, whether they have a history of fracture or osteoporosis and other related life styles. We used SPSS20.0 program; frequency, chi-square and T test evaluated.Results:Totally 232 patients included in this study. There were 160(%69) women and 72 (%31) men. We defined %81.4(n=189) Vitamin D deficiency in all group of which %52.1(n=121) were severe, %57.1(n=68) were lower than normal value. 137 patients answered the question about “exposure to sunlight” and 118 of them %86.1 didn’t have regular exposure to sunlight, %63.5 (n:87) didn’t had vitamin D treatment. Conclusion:In our study we have found that most homecare patients have low levels of Vitamin D, do not have regular exposure to sunlight, not do excercize regularly or mostly do excercize passively.But in a larger sample size, low vitamin D levels have to lead to fractures for older immobile patients.To assist in eliminating factures and to make higher the qualityof life, it is very crucial for patients with limited exposure to sunlight, to measure vitamin D levels and and to replace it.