Assessment of Health-care Professional’s Knowledge Regarding the Comorbidities of Vitamin D Deficiency and its Relationship with Uterine Fibroids

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread global health issue, notably prevalent in the Middle East and more severe in women. Vitamin D deficiency increases the incidence of uterine fibroids in black and white women, the most frequent benign gynecologic malignancies. This study examined health-care providers’ understanding of the relationship between vitamin D insufficiency and uterine fibroid at Sulaimani Hospitals in Kurdistan, Iraq. A quantitative design, cross-sectional-descriptive study (non-probability purposive sample) of 113 female nurses and gynecologists. Data were collected using a checklist through Google Forms. The results showed that the majority of the participants were nurses (88.5%), and the remaining (11.5%) were gynecologist. Two-thirds of them work in maternity teaching hospital while others work in smart hospitals and Faroq medical cities. The results revealed that the level of knowledge was significantly associated with the position of participants and level of education (P < 0.05). As well, the study demonstrated that the majority of the participants were not trained regarding uterine fibroid and vitamin D deficiency. The study concluded that nearly a quarter of the health-care professionals had a medium level of knowledge, while nearly a quarter (24.8%) of them had a high level of knowledge. The study recommended to the Ministry of Health giving opportunities to health-care professionals, especially nurses, to participate in training courses, workshops, and conferences regarding the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and uterine fibroid.