Availability of Adequately Iodized Salt at Household Level and Associated Factors in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background. Iodine deficiency has serious effects on body growth and mental development. This study assessed availability of adequately iodized salt at household level and associated factors in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia. Methods. Community based cross-sectional study was carried out among households in Gondar town during August 15–25, 2012. Multistage sampling technique was used. Data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire by a face-to-face interview technique. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to check associations and control confounding. Results. A total of 810 participants were participated. The availability of adequately iodized salt (≥15 parts per million) in the study area was 28.9%. Multivariate analysis showed that using packed salt (AOR (95% CI) = 9.75 (5.74, 16.56)), not exposing salt to sunlight (AOR (95% CI) = 7.26 (3.73, 14.11)), shorter storage of salt at household (AOR (95% CI) = 3.604 (1.402, 9.267)) and good knowledge of participants about iodized salt (AOR (95% CI) = 1.94 (1.23, 3.05)) were associated with availability of adequately iodized salt at household level. Conclusions. Availability of adequately iodized salt at household level was very low. Hence, households should be sensitized about importance of iodized salt and its proper handling at the household level.

Factors Affecting the Presence of Adequately Iodized Salt at Home in Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia: Community Based Study

“…Participants' who did not expose salt to sunlight were about four times more likely to have adequately iodized salt as compared to their counterparts. This is consistent with the findings of the study conducted in northern Ethiopia on the presence of adequately iodized salt at home and factors affecting it [10]. A study from India shows loss of 31% of iodine from iodized salt because of exposure to sunlight [28].…”

“…Out of the 440 households provided salt samples, adequately iodized salt was found only in 166 (37.7%) households using the titration method. The result of this study is higher than the findings observed in different parts of Ethiopia: Hawassa town 0% [18], Shebe town, south west Ethiopia 19% [19], Northern Ethiopia 25% [20], Gondar 29% [10], JigJiga town, Eastern Ethiopia 26.6% [21], and Laelay Maychew District, Northern Ethiopia 33% [22] of the households have access to iodized salt. The finding from the current study is also higher than the findings observed in Sudan 14.4% [9] and Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan 15% [8].…”

Proper Utilization of Adequatly Iodized Salt at House Hold Level and Associated Factores in Asella Town Arsi Zone Ethiopia: A Community based Cross Sectional Study

“…The finding is higher than stdudy done in Gondar North west Ethiopia in 2012, which was 28.9% (13), in Asosa 26.1% (14) and DHS 2011, which showed 23.2% of Urban HHs have access to iodized salt [10]. But low compared to other developing countries like Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, which have successful HHs iodized salt coverage which is about 90% [13]. According to WHO, UNICEF and ICCIDD elimination of IDD is possible when the proportion of HHs using iodized salt reachs 90% [14], and Ethiopia also set target to reach 95% in 2014/2015 [15].…”

“…The finding is higher than stdudy done in Gondar North west Ethiopia in 2012, which was 28.9% (13), in Asosa 26.1% (14) and DHS 2011, which showed 23.2% of Urban HHs have access to iodized salt [10]. But low compared to other developing countries like Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, which have successful HHs iodized salt coverage which is about 90% [13].…”

“…Other study conducted in Shebe town of South West Ethiopia, showed 78.5% has poor knowledge on iodized salt [20]. Another finding from Gondar town in 2012, also showed that,74.8% has poor knowledge on IDD [13]. Changes in knowledge on IDD observed in laylay maychew district, North Ethiopia showed that only 44.2% of respondants reasons for not using related to lack of awareness [12].…”