Abstract

BackgroundIodine deficiency remains a public health problem in the world. It is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage worldwide. Though 12 million school age children are at risk of developing iodine deficiency, there is a scarcity of literature showing the magnitude of iodine deficiency in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of iodine deficiency among school children in Robe District, southeast Ethiopia.MethodsA school based cross–sectional study was conducted from February to June, 2015. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 422 children. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors associated with iodine deficiency. In the multivariate analysis, variables with a P-value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 393 school children participated in the study. The median urinary iodine level was 78 μg/l. About 57 and 43.5 % of the children were found with low urinary iodine level and goiter, respectively. Only 29 % of the households utilized adequately iodized salt. The result of the multivariate analysis revealed that the odds of iodine deficiency were higher among female [AOR = 2.23; 95 % CI: 1.54, 3.55] and older (10–12 years) [AOR = 2.21; 95 % CI: 1.44, 3.42] children.ConclusionIn this community, the prevalence of goiter and low urine iodine level is high. Thus, iodine deficiency exists as severe public health problem. In addition, there is a low utilization of iodized salt in the setting. Therefore, it is crucial to intensify efforts in the implementation of iodized salt. Moreover, attention should be given to school children to address ID.

Highlights

  • Iodine deficiency remains a public health problem in the world

  • Iodine is an essential micronutrient for supporting different physiological functions, its deficiency is associated with a wider range of health problems [1,2,3]

  • 241 million school children are suffering from Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), while more than 1.5 billion people are at risk of ID [10]

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Summary

Introduction

Iodine deficiency remains a public health problem in the world. It is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of iodine deficiency among school children in Robe District, southeast Ethiopia. Iodine Deficiency (ID) is considered as the most common preventable cause of mental retardation [4], and it results in decreased resistance against infections, poor school performance, and lack of physical strength of the child [5]. 241 million school children are suffering from Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), while more than 1.5 billion people are at risk of ID [10].

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