{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T06:05:39Z","timestamp":1784009139049,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783987200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in the Middle East, including Palestine, despite abundant sunlight. Limited data exist on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding vitamin D among the general Palestinian population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 402 Palestinian adults between March and April 2026 using an online survey distributed via social media. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics and vitamin D\u2013related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Knowledge was measured using a 16-item scale (score range 0\u201316). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, bivariate tests, and multivariable linear regression to identify independent predictors of knowledge.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The mean knowledge score was 8.15 \u00b1 2.41 out of 16 (50.9%), and 68.4% of participants achieved at least half of the total score. Awareness of core concepts was high, but misconceptions persisted regarding nonspecific symptoms and overstated immune-related claims. Attitudes were generally favorable; however, although 76.9% of respondents recognized vitamin D deficiency as a societal health issue, only 49.0% perceived themselves to be personally at risk. Practices varied considerably: 38.1% reported daily sun exposure, and most participants exposed only limited body areas. In the final multivariable model, health-field affiliation, city residence, regular vitamin D supplementation, and non-smoking were independently associated with higher knowledge, whereas occasional supplementation was not.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Palestinian adults demonstrate moderate but incomplete knowledge of vitamin D, with persistent misconceptions and a clear gap between awareness and practice. Targeted public health interventions that correct misinformation, improve health literacy, and promote evidence-based behaviors\u2014particularly among village\/camp residents and non-health professionals\u2014are needed to improve vitamin D-related outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1868025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T05:38:13Z","timestamp":1784007493000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding vitamin D among adults in Palestine: a cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Wadie Bashar","family":"Qaqunda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University","place":["Jerusalem, Palestine"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elias","family":"Amarneh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University","place":["Jerusalem, Palestine"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tareq","family":"Muallem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University","place":["Jerusalem, Palestine"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ameer","family":"Sarhan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University","place":["Jerusalem, Palestine"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohammed","family":"Amouri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University","place":["Jerusalem, 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