Vitamin D: supplement use in specific population groups

Research recommendation(s) from an individual piece of guidance

Guidance:

Vitamin D: supplement use in specific population groups

Date issued:

26 November 2014

Research recommendations coming out of this guidance

• How effective and cost effective are interventions to increase vitamin D access, uptake, adherence or status among identified at-risk groups? Does effectiveness vary by age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic or other specific population characteristics (such as depression or a disability)? The following could be considered:
  - availability and uptake of supplements (including the impact of the cost of supplements)
  - type of supplements provided and how that impacts on adherence
  - knowledge and attitudes (of both the public and health and social care practitioners).
• How cost effective are preventive approaches to vitamin D deficiency among all at-risk groups, compared with the cost of testing and treatment? This should include a comparison of universal provision of free supplements with the provision of low or standard cost supplements for different at-risk groups. (If there is any new legislation allowing for the sale of Healthy Start supplements, this would provide an opportunity to test this question.)
• How can a multiagency approach to improving awareness, availability and uptake of vitamin D supplements best be established, improved and sustained?
• What type of training and awareness-raising can improve how health and social care practitioners:
  - promote vitamin D supplements among at-risk groups
  - improve the local population's awareness of, and attitudes towards, vitamin D supplements
  - uptake of vitamin D supplements?
• What is the best way of monitoring the local system for distributing vitamin D supplements?