Evaluation of intervention effect of health education on iodine deficiency disorders in Hubei Province, 2013-2018 / 公共卫生与预防医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the awareness status of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) prevention and treatment knowledge of target population in Hubei Province, and to evaluate the intervention effect of IDD health education. Methods From 2013 to 2016, 13 counties (cities and districts) were selected as project counties in Hubei Province each year and 7 counties (cities and districts) were selected each year in 2017-2018. Three townships (towns) were chosen in each project county, and the health education activities were carried out among the grade 4-6 students in the central primary school of each township (town). Three administrative villages were selected in each township (town) to carry out community health education activities. Before and after the implementation of health education, 30 students in a fifth grade class from each central elementary school, and 15 housewives around the school were selected to conduct a questionnaire survey on IDD prevention and control knowledge. Results Totally 5 940 elementary school students and 2,970 housewives were investigated from 2013-2018. After carrying out IDD health education activities, the awareness rates of IDD prevention knowledge among primary school students and housewives were 94.28% (16 801/17 820) and 93.20% (8 304/8 910), respectively, which increased significantly compared with those before the health education intervention [71.60% (12 759/17 820) and 70.93% (6 320/8 910), respectively]. The differences were statistically significant (χ2=3,239.83, 1,500.78，P<0.01). Among the primary school students and housewives, the knowledge awareness rates of IDD prevention and treatment were increased by 22.68% and 22.27%, respectively. Conclusion Health education intervention could significantly increase the awareness of IDD among primary school students and housewives, and it is an important measure to maintain IDD elimination status.