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ISSN 2063-5346
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KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDE ON THE USE OF MULTIVITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS AMONG YOUNG OMANI COMMUNITY IN WILAYAT OF IBRI

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Maryam Sulaiman Al Hinai1 , Sujith Haridass2*
» doi: 10.31838/ecb/2023.12.si5.0122

Abstract

The daily use of multivitamins has risen considerably in recent years among population all over the world due to aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies and the accessibility of these products over the counter. Perception of the public about benefits of multivitamins to enhance overall health and wellbeing had led to its encouraged use without proper knowledge of their safety and side effects. The present work focuses on assessing the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of multivitamins supplement among young Omani communities in Wilayat, Ibri. A descriptive cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted online among 382 young Omani adults aged–20-40 years in Wilayat of Ibri over a period of five months from April 2022 to August 2022, using a validated 38-item questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the acquired data using SPSS software 20.0. The survey analysis showed that females made up the majority of respondents (78.5%) in the overall study population (n = 382), while male made up only 21.5%. The mean knowledge score of the participants was found to be 4.59 (SD ± 2.6). The results of independent t-tests and ANOVA analyses revealed a significant relationship between mean knowledge scores and sociodemographic factors, such as gender (p = 0.00), educational level (p = 0.01), and multivitamin use (p = 0.004). The study participants had a poor understanding of the proper use of multivitamins and their safety. A significant relationship between perception and sociodemographic factors such as gender (p = 0.01), physical activity (p = 0.005), and multivitamin use (p = 0.007) was found using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Most participants acknowledged the need for regular intake of vitamin supplements by pregnant women (89 %) and the detection of vitamin deficiencies through blood tests (89.8 %). A significant association between attitude and socio-demographic variables such as gender (p = 0.003) and multivitamin consumption (p = 0.00) was identified using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The study recommends organizing regular awareness campaigns for the public regarding the correct use of multivitamins by media/health care professionals.

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