The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in psychiatric inpatients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in adult patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital
IRAS ID
185267
Contact name
Dipen Patel
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
R&D, Leicestershire Partnership NHS trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 18 days
Research summary
This project aims to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency amongst adult patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital. In addition it aims to assess whether there is an association between the degree of severity of vitamin D deficiency and severity of mental illness, sub-class of mental illness (psychotic illness, mood and affective disorders, disorders of anxiety and personality) and length of inpatient stay.
In this study, vitamin D levels will be assessed on successive patients admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit, to ascertain the proportion of patients admitted to hospital who suffer from vitamin D deficiency, and the severity of their deficiency. Further analysis will be undertaken to ascertain any associations between vitamin D deficiency and demographic social/environmental factors.
Vitamin D is produced naturally by the body, following exposure of our skin to sunlight. It has an important role in ensuring that our bones are healthy, through its effects on calcium absorption from the food and drink that we take in. It may also have other beneficial effects on physical as well as mental health.
The results of this study would provide evidence as to whether routinely screening all psychiatric inpatient admissions for Vitamin D deficiency would be warranted, and to provide the rationale for further research into whether treating vitamin D deficiency in patients with mental illness might have beneficial outcomes.
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0434
Date of REC Opinion
23 Dec 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion