Abstract
Appropriate knowledge, practice, and availability of iodized salt are used to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders. However, little is known about the availability of adequately iodized salt in the western part of Ethiopia. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess knowledge, practice, and availability of iodized salt and associated factors at household level in Jibat woreda, Ethiopia. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using structured and pretested questionnaire interview. Sampling salt was tested by the iodometric titration method. The result showed that iodine content more than 90% was considered as adequately iodized salt. The result of this study shown that among the 357 salt samples, 191(53.5%) households had good knowledge on iodized salt while 166 (46.5%) had poor knowledge on iodized salt. In addition, the result of the study revealed that 162 (45.4%) had good practice of iodized salt, whereas 195 (54.6%) had poor practice of iodized salt. The result of this study also shown that 149 (41.7%) households were using adequately iodized salt while 208 (58.3%) were using inadequate iodized salt in study area. Residence area, education level, household job, and average monthly income were significantly associated with knowledge of iodized salt at household level. Residence area, educational level, average monthly income, and expose to sunlight were significantly associated with availability of adequately iodized salt. In this finding, the knowledge and practices of iodized salt at household level in Jibat woreda, Ethiopia, were poor, and the availability of iodine in iodized salt was inadequate. This is associated to residence area, education level of household, and average monthly income. Therefore, any concerned body/institution should have to work in the above gabs of the knowledge, practice, and availability of iodized salt.
Highlights
Iodine is an essential micronutrients and dietary minerals that are needed in small amounts, for the normal physiological function of the human body
It is a critical component of thyroid hormones, which is necessary for controlling metabolic rate, growth, and development of body structures, as well as neuronal function and development
Findings regarding to availability of iodized salt in the present study suggest that 41.7% of households have adequately iodized salt which was very lower than the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation according to which >90% of the households should utilize adequately iodized salt to eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) and in other developing countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, which have successful household iodized salt coverage which is about 90% [4, 19]
Summary
Iodine is an essential micronutrients and dietary minerals that are needed in small amounts, for the normal physiological function of the human body. It is a critical component of thyroid hormones, which is necessary for controlling metabolic rate, growth, and development of body structures, as well as neuronal function and development. Poor intake of iodine leads to insufficient production of thyroid hormones, which affects different parts of the body, muscle, control of metabolic function, reproduction, heart, liver, kidney, and International Journal of Food Science the developing brain. In addition to insufficient production of thyroid hormones, iodine deficiency causes endemic goiter, cretinism, dwarfism, mental retardation, miscarriage, muscular disorders, spontaneous abortions, sterilization, and stillbirths [5]
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