ABSTRACT
Objective:To learn about the cognition of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) prevention knowledge among key population in the IDD area of Jilin Province, and to evaluate the effect of health education.Methods:From 2015 to 2019, 10 counties (cities, districts, hereinafter referred to as counties) in Jilin Province were selected as project counties every year. Public health education covered the entire project county. In each project county, 3 project townships were selected, and students of grades 4-6 were selected from the central primary schools of each project township for school health education. In each project township, 3 project villages were selected to carry out community health education. Before and after health education, 30 fifth-grade students were selected from the central primary school of each project township, and 15 housewives were selected from the vicinity of each primary school to conduct a questionnaire survey on IDD prevention knowledge.Results:After health education, the overall awareness rate of IDD prevention knowledge among primary school students and housewives in Jilin Province was 96.26% (13 324/13 842) and 96.40% (6 819/7 074), which was significantly higher than that before the intervention [65.36% (9 032/13 818) and 71.26% (5 039/7 071)], and the differences were statistically significant (χ 2 = 4 258.34, 1 647.92, P < 0.001), and the awareness rates of primary school students and housewives increased by 30.90% and 25.14%, respectively. Conclusion:Health education has significantly increased the awareness rate of IDD prevention knowledge among key populations in Jilin Province, and is an important measure to ensure the continuous elimination of IDD.