Impact of health education intervention on consumption of iodised salt in school children in Aligarh, India

Abstract

Background: Iodine deficiency is one of the most neglected and wide spread of all nutritional deficiencies, constituting a real brake on human development. Deficiency of iodine may result in development of goitre and other IDD. Objective is to find out the impact of health education intervention on awareness of iodine content and consumption of iodized salt in school children. Methods: This study was conducted among school children of 1 st to 5 th standard (6-12 years). After one year of health education intervention package, 200 children were included from one affluent and one non-affluent school in Aligarh. Improvement in awareness regarding iodine content of salt was assessed. Iodine content of salt, consumed by children was analyzed using the spot testing kit. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Results: In pre-intervention group, awareness regarding iodised salt was only 26.3% which rose to 83.5%. After intervention, consumption of salt with >15 ppm iodine content was increased from 16.1% to 48.3%. Consequently consumption of salt with nil iodine declined from 25.0% to 8.1%. Conclusions: It may be concluded that after the intervention package, awareness level improved and consequently, consumption of adequately iodized salt (>15 ppm iodine) also improved. Sustained IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities should be carried out more vigorously in schools and community so that people are made aware about the benefits of consumption of iodated salt .