{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T22:55:33Z","timestamp":1782341733996,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,27]],"date-time":"2022-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1672099200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Although overexposure to ultraviolet radiation may lead to skin cancer, inadequate exposure results in vitamin D deficiency (VDD). We explored vitamin D-related knowledge and sun exposure practices among Sri Lankan healthcare undergraduates.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The sampling frame consisted of medical and allied health undergraduates in a single centre. A newly developed, pre-piloted, self-administered questionnaire collected data on vitamin D knowledge, sun avoidance behaviour and outdoor time. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis examined the factors related to outdoor time.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A total of 482 were included in the analysis. The mean (SD) vitamin D knowledge score (0\u2013100% scale) was 31.3% (18%). Only 17.8% scored \u226550% for knowledge. At least one sun avoidance measure was used by 59.3% of the undergraduates. A lower knowledge score was observed with a higher number of sun-avoidance behaviour (mean difference 0.84, p = 0.03). The majority (66%) spent outdoors &lt;30 minutes per day between 9 am-3 pm. The odds of having low outdoor time were 1.6 higher for the female sex (OR:1.61, 95%CI:1.039, 2.492, p&lt;0.001) and studying in the final year (OR:1.63, 95%CI:1.020, 2.602, p = 0.04). Medical students had a higher likelihood of low outdoor time (OR:0.55, 95%CI: 0.361, 0.835, p = 0.005).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The healthcare undergraduates had low vitamin D knowledge and outdoor time while having increased sun avoidance. Gender, course of study, and academic year appeared to affect outdoor time. Support and guidance should improve knowledge and sun exposure habits that suit academic work and lifestyle in this population. Also, universities can actively promote positive sun exposure by organizing outdoor events.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0279480","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,27]],"date-time":"2022-12-27T18:36:16Z","timestamp":1672166176000},"page":"e0279480","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Vitamin D knowledge and sun exposure practices among Sri Lankan healthcare undergraduates"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9813-3295","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Guwani","family":"Liyanage","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sanjana","family":"Jayathunga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thamara","family":"Amarasekara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,27]]},"reference":[{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0279480.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1082","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcot.2019.07.004","article-title":"Vitamin D for skeletal and non-skeletal health: What we should know.","volume":"10","author":"N Charoenngam","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Clin Orthop Trauma."},{"key":"pone.0279480.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"513","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2020.00513","article-title":"A Basic Review of the Preliminary Evidence That COVID-19 Risk and Severity Is Increased in Vitamin D Deficiency.","volume":"8","author":"LL Benskin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0279480.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"428","DOI":"10.1111\/nbu.12349","article-title":"Vitamin D status in the tropics: Is sunlight exposure the main determinant?","volume":"43","author":"MM Mendes","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nutr Bull"},{"key":"pone.0279480.ref004","unstructured":"The climate of Sri Lanka. 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