ASSESSMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION AMONG PHARMACY STUDENTS AND VARIOUS FACTORS

Tóm tắt

Background: Calcium is an important mineral that helps maintain bone health and other physiological functions. Although calcium supplementation is considered necessary, the supplementation status of Pharmacy students is still low and there is a clear difference between groups according to education level and other personal factors. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the relationship between calcium supplementation of Pharmacy students and factors such as education level, gender, family occupation, place of residence and eating habits. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1025 Pharmacy students of Can Tho Medical College. Data were collected through 7 questions in an interview questionnaire designed by the research team to collect information on the status of calcium supplementation and personal factors as student level, gender, student living place, eating habits, breakfast habits, hypocalcemia symptoms. The interview questions were designed by the research team in the form of a google form and then the survey link was sent to the participants. The answers were compiled in a google spreadsheet and then transferred to SPSS software to process the data using the chi-square test. The research was carried out at Can Tho Medical College in 2023. Results: Third-year students had a higher calcium supplementation rate (40.6%) than second-year students (33.2%) and first-year students (27.4%). The calcium supplementation rate of students living with their families was 46.8%, higher than that of students living in boarding houses at 31.6%. Students with regular breakfast habits had a higher calcium supplementation rate than students who had irregular breakfast. Students with hypocalcemia had a calcium supplementation rate of 51.4%, higher than that of students without hypocalcemia at 31.0%. Conclusions: There was a relationship between the calcium supplementation rate and as student level, student living place, breakfast habits and hypocalcemia symptoms.