178525 Dietary Supplement Use in a Population of Low-income, Uninsured Patients Attending Public Sector Medicine Clinics

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Stephanie K. Kolar, MSPH , Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Ellen Daley, PhD , Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Laurie Woodard, MD , Family Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL
Allison Edmonds, MS, ARNP , Family Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL
Jane Fanning, PhD, ARNP , Family Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL
Jennifer Ward, MPH , Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Background: In the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Survey 52% of adults reported taking a dietary supplement in the past month. Many adults in the US do not meet the recommended daily intake of nutrients; supplements may help fill in this gap.

Objectives: This analysis examined dietary supplement use among 246 patients attending Public Sector Medicine Clinics from 2005-2007. This population is uninsured and low-income. Eighty-seven percent were women, 75% were over age 40, 56% were not born in the US, and almost half were obese. Fifty-five percent reported consuming ≤1 serving of fruit per day, 50% reported ≤1 serving of vegetables, and 56% ≤1 serving of calcium-containing dairy foods.

Methods: Data were collected via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Chi-squared analysis was used to determine statistical significance.

Results: Forty-one percent of participants reported using supplements. Multivitamins were the most frequently used supplement (68% of those using supplements). Calcium was the next most frequently reported (19%). Supplement use varied significantly (p<0.05) by (1) age group, (2) self-reported physical activity in the past week such as walking, jogging, or swimming, and (3) in women, receiving a mammogram in the past year. Seeing a health care provider regularly and perceived general health were nearly significant (0.07 and 0.06).

Conclusions: Supplement use in this population was lower than national use and varied by demographic and lifestyle factors. In this population, in which cost may be a barrier to healthier, nutrient rich food options, supplement use may be a means of increasing nutrient intake.

Area Health Education Center (AHEC)

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe dietary supplement use in the US and in this study population. 2. List demographic characteristics of the population analyzed in the study. 3. List three lifestyle and demographic factors which varied significantly with dietary supplement use.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I entered and edited the data, ran the statistical analysis, and wrote the abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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