| dc.description.abstract | A cross-sectional study which was descriptive and analytical
in nature was carried out between December 1996 and March 1997
to determine the household factors associated with salt iodine
intake and their association with goitre among school children
aged 8 to 10 years old in Migori District, Kenya. The
methodologies used in data collection were administration of
questionnaires and focus group discussions to verify the data
collected by the questionnaire method. In addition, goitre
prevalence and median urine iodine level were utilized to
indicate the iodine deficiency disorder prevalence in the
study area.
A total of 311 school children and households were included in
the study. The total goitre rate among the study children was
22 %. The median levels for both the children and maternal
urinary iodine content were below the cut-off point of 10
pgjdL indicating inadequate iodine intake. All the households
consumed iodated salt. However, no mother mentioned iodation
of salt as a factor that influenced her salt choice during
purchase. Of the salt samples analysed, 60% of the household
and 60% of the retailers'samples had an iodine content of less
than the stipulated levels. 60% of the households had an
average daily per capita salt intake of less than 5 g.
v
Maternal education and socio-economic status significantly
related to the children's urinary iodine level (p< 0.05).
Maternal education was also shown to have a significant
association with knowledge and awareness of the presence of
iodated salt. There was poor salt storage and condition
reported in the households and this may contribute to iodine
loss. Poor salt quality such as moist salt, coarse texture and
presence of impurities was also reported at the retailers'
level.
The study concluded that there was inadequate iodine intake in
the study area as was indicated by the low median urinary
iodine levels of both the children and their mothers and
supported by the low salt iodine levels in both the household
and retailers' level. The study recommended that stringent
quali ty control measures be put into place to ensure good
quali ty and, adequate and uniform salt iodation. It also
recommended that education and awareness campaigns be carried
out, under the auspices of some Government ministries
mentioned so as to help increase the local populations
knowledge and awareness of iodine deficiency disorders, their
causes and prevention too. | en |
