The level of knowledge about folic acid supplementation among young people
Keywords:
knowledge, education, folic acid, young peopleAbstract
Intoduction. The effectiveness of primary prophylaxis preventing neural tube defects significantly depends on the fact whether information regarding folic acid influence on human organism, passed to the adolescents and young adults within educational programmes, is understood and modifies their attitudes. As numerous causes of civilisation diseases are discussed, an increasing significance is attributed to different environmental factors including a diet deficient in folic acid.
Aim. The aim of this work was to present current status of knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation among young people. The practical purpose was to identify deficiencies of knowledge about folic acid supplementation as well as prepare and execute an educational programme in this field.
Material and method. The study included 338 students attending high-schools in Rzeszow. An authors’ questionnaire was applied. After verification, the gathered data were subjected to statistical analysis using STATISTICA v.7.2 software.
Results. This study showed that the level of teenagers’ knowledge in this field was unsatisfactory. When asked about folic acid source, benefits resulting from its intake, and recommended allowances for this compound, high-school students presented insufficient familiarity with these issues. The fact that girls self-evaluated their knowledge about folic acid supplementation lower than boys (p=0.00001) was surprising.
References
1. Kalinowska-Witek B. Zdrowie i edukacja zdrowotna w opinii studentów pedagogiki opiekuńczej. W: Grabowiec A, Bogucki J, Bochniarz A.Zdrowa szkoła - zdrowy uczeń. Edukacja wobec współczesnych zagrożeń zdrowia. Lublin: Wyd. NeuroCentrum; 2008.
2. Szymańska-Pomorska G. Nurses educational work in patients’ opinion. Annales UMCS SectioD Medicina 2005;Vol.LX, suppl. XVI:549 .
3. Zych B, Barnaś E, Witalis J, Ciąpała T, Kuna P, Kądziołka J. Neural tube defects – is there an effective prophylaxis? In: Wdowiak L, Kruk W, Bińkowska-Bury M (editors) Public health and research. Lublin: “NeuroCentrum”, 2009; p. 421-32.
4. Narodowy Program Zdrowia 1996-2005.
5. Narodowy Program Zdrowia na lata 2007-2015.
6. Serefhanoglu S, Aydogdu I, Kekilli E, Ilhan A, Kuku I. Measuring holotranscobalamin II, an early indicator of negative vitamin B12 balance, by radioimmunoassay in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Ann Hematol. 2008; 87:391–5.
7. Stanger O. Physiology of folic acid in health and disease. Current Drug Metabolism 2002; 3:211-23.
8. Buda G, Maggini V, Galimberti S, Barale R, Rossi AM, Petrini M. Folate levels in cancer: a vitamin for a new challenge. Ann Hematol. 2007; 86: 389.
9. Kunachowicz H, Nadolna I, Stoś K, Brożek A, Szponar L.:Produkty wzbogacane w kwas foliowy i ich rola w promocji zdrowia. Przeg Lek. 2004; 61(1): 30-4.
10. Owieczko K, Owoc A. Wady cewy nerwowej jako przykład uszkodzenia mózgu w okresie prenatalnym. Możliwości przeciw- działania – wybrane elementy. Zdr Publ. 2005;115(1):115-7.
11. Solomon RL. Disorders of cobalamin (Vitamin B12) metabolism: Emerging concepts in pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. Blood Reviews 2007;21: 113–30.
12. Zadarko-Domaradzka M, Tlałka E, Sobolewski M.The role of folic acid in neural tube defects prevention: a survey of the awareness of women of childbearing age from Podkarpacie. In: Wdowiak L, Kruk W, Bińkowska-Bury M (editors) Public health and research. Lublin: “NeuroCentrum”, 2009; p. 407-19.
13. Tlałka E, Zadarko-Domaradzka M, Sobolewski M. Wiedza i postawy kobiet w zakresie suplementacji diety kwasem foliowym na tle Ogólnopolskiego Programu Profilaktyki Wad Cewy Nerwowej – wyniki badań pilotażowych. Przegląd Medyczny Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego 2008; 2: p.161-5.
