
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Lawless, Susie 
A1  - White, Phil 
A1  - Murdoch, Prue 
A1  - Leitch, Sharon 
T1  - (Preventing) two birds with one stone: improving vitamin D levels in the elderly
JF  - Journal of Primary Health Care
JO  - J Prim Health Care
Y1  - 2011
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
SP  - 150
EP  - 152
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/HC11150 
N2  - BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: A majority of adults have sub-optimal vitamin D levels in the winter in southern New Zealand. This is associated with an increased risk of falls and fragility fractures in the elderly, with long-term adverse outcomes likely. Vitamin D supplementation decreases the risks of both falls and fractures. ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM: An intervention was undertaken by a small urban general practice to increase the number of elderly patients receiving vitamin D supplementation by linking vitamin D prescription to the annual flu vaccination campaign. RESULTS: Uptake of the supplementation was high and costs to the practice low. Thirty-eight patients were identified for whom long-term supplementation with vitamin D was indicated. STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT: The study could have been strengthened by incorporating a more formal method of evaluating uptake. LESSONS: Encouraging patients to take supplements as a population-based strategy is a realistic intervention, and linking it to the flu vaccination campaign is both seasonally appropriate and efficient. KEYWORDS: Vitamin D deficiency; elderly; vitamin D supplementation; cholecalciferol; prevention; fragility fractures; intervention 
ER  -

