Preliminary Study of Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Associated Risk Factors in Libya

This study was conducted to investigate levels among the target population and its associated risk factors in Libya.A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate level and its associated risk factors in Libya during 2022-2023. 192 serum samples were tested in private laboratories. A structured designated questionnaire was filled in containing all the relevant information. Descriptive analyses frequency and percent were measured for numerical data, number, and percent for qualitative data using SPSS version 22. The chi-square test and student t-test were used for the data analysis and to investigate the level of association among variables at the significance level of (p<0.05). The ratio of female to male included in this study was estimated to be (77.04%) and (22.96%) respectively. Our results reported mean average of level among male (15.59 mg/dl), while in female (11.45 mg/dl), the results reported sex based significant difference (p=.00009). The present study results reported an overall average (12.40 mg/dl) of level. Regarding the age categories, our results reported variable differences in the levels, however there is no statistically significant difference (p=0.894). The results showed that using supplements for hypovitaminosis did not significantly influence therapeutic outcomes. The mean average level among males was significantly higher than those in females; however, both levels in the two groups are in the deficiency category. Interestingly the group who received treatment of vitamin D, their level was lower than the group who did not receive treatment.