Physicians’ perceptions regarding the role of vitamin D in COVID-19 management: A qualitative study

COVID-19 outbreak has created a public health crisis starting from December 2019. Vitamin D has raised as a protective factor that can take part in reducing risk of infection. It has an immunomodulatory wide spectrum action. This study aims to ascertain the physicians’ perceptions regarding Vitamin D role as adjuvant therapy in COVID-19 infection.

A descriptive qualitative design was approached. Data collection took place in a governmental tertiary hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A semi-structured interview guide was developed and validated for this purpose. In-depth individual interviews with physicians (n=20) from different departments were conducted. The participants were enrolled until reaching the saturation level. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. A thematic content analysis was performed.

After analysis, three elemental themes with subthemes emerged that described physicians’ experience and perceptions: general protocol followed for prescribing Vitamin D in COVID-19 patients, Clinical effect of Vitamin D in COVID-19 disease, Vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 mortality. Different responses were obtained from physicians reflecting their experience with COVID-19 patients.

The findings revealed physicians’ experience of Vitamin D clinical effect in COVID-19. Physicians stated the different regimen of Vitamin D used in COVID-19 patients and declared the association of Vitamin D in different COVID-19 cases but, no relation of Vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 mortality as per physicians’ experience.