Frequency, Reasons, and Determinants of Multivitamins UsageAmong Undergraduate Medical Students

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence, reasons, and determinants of multivitamin usage among medical students.
Material and Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted at CMH Medical, Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Duration was from1st January 2023 to 30 June, 2023 and sample size was N=267 calculated with 267 participants. The sample size was N=267 calculated from Cochran's formula. Nonprobability convenient sampling technique was used. All students currently enrolled in the medical college(MBBS, BDS) were offered to be part of study after taking informed consent. A self-designed online
questionnaire, which included 11 validated questions, was employed to gather data from 267 participants through Google Forms. The data from the questionnaire was analyzed by using SPSS version 26.
Results: Mean age of participants was 20±2.9. The findings revealed that while a significant number of medical students reported using multivitamins (35.3%), there were variations in knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards their effectiveness. Most participants believed that multivitamins are effective (81.5%, p=0.806) and can improve energy levels (81.1%, p=0.209). Factors such as healthcare professional recommendations influenced usage (75.8%, p=0.788). However, no significant associations were found between demographic factors (gender, age, year of study) and multivitamin usage. Interestingly, a subset of students reported using multivitamins during periods of stress (11.2%, p=0.122).
Conclusion: These results highlight the complexity of multivitamin usage among medical students, with variations in usage patterns and beliefs regarding effectiveness.