Résumé
Objective To understand the iodine deficiency disorders in Xunhua county Qinghai province, and to provide reference values for setting up prevention and control strategy. Methods According to historical data of Xunhua county, 1 township center elementary school and 1 village elementary school were sampled in Qingshui, Baizhuang, Hongqi, Jiezi and Galeng townships. A total of 9 elementary schools were investigated (Caleng has only 1 elementary school). Fourty children aged 8-10 years were checked thyroid size by palpation in every school. Twenty children were chosen to assay their urinary iodine and edible salt iodine in every school. Thirty 5-grade students were surveyed by questionnaire on health education in every school. Ten housewives were inquired prevention knowledge on iodine deficiency disorders and salt iodine level was tested in every village. Results Goiter rate was 7.9%(30/378) in children aged 8-10 years, with Baizhuang and Galeng the highest (11.9%,5/42), and Qingshui the lowest (2.4%, 1/42). The median was 196.5 μg/L in children aged 8-10 years, and urinary iodine level lower than 50 μg/L was accounted for 5.3% (11/208), but that value was 25.0% (5/20)in Galeng. The average qualified rate of using edible salt was 91.4%(159/174), and that rates were 79.0%(15/19), 83.3%(15/18) and 89.5%(17/19) in Chajia, Tuanjie and Minzhu villages, respectively. The average score were 2.8, 2.1 in health education survey of the 5-grade students and housewives. Conclusions After years effort in prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders, remarkable progress has been made in Xunhua County. The monitoring of iodized salt and the knowledge spreading are still need to be strengthened.