Effectiveness of health education on iodine deficiency disorders and drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis in Xinzhou City Shanxi Province in 2011 / 中国地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To find out whether people in Xinzhou Shanxi know the hazard of both iodine deficiency disorders and drinking-water-borne endemic tluorosis,in Xinzhou Shanxi and to promote people actively participate in prevention of the diseases and to achieve a sustainable development of health education in endemic diseases.Methods Ningwu,Baode,Kelan and Jingle Counties were selected to carry out the.health education program of iodine deficiency disorders and Wutai,Xinfu and Fanshi counties were selected to carry out the health education project of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis in Xinzhou City Shanxi Province in 2011.To carry out the base line questionnaire survey,in the beginning and at the end of the project,three townships from each county were chosen,and one primary school was selected from each chosen township,15 housewives were selected from each chosen township and 30 fifth grade students were selected from each primary school.Results ① The baseline survey:a total of 366 pupils of grade 5 and 183 housewives were investigated,and the awareness rate of iodine deficiency disorders was 77.41％ (850/1098) and 80.33％ (441/549),respectively; a total of 270 pupils of grade 5 and 138 housewives were investigated,and the awareness rate of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis was 80.74％ (654/810) and 81.40％ (337/414),respectively; ② The effect evaluation:a total of 366 pupils of grade 5 and 181 housewives were investigated,and the awareness rates of iodine deficiency disorders were 91.62％ (1006/1098) and 92.45％ (502/543),which were compared with that of baseline investigation,and the awareness rates were improved significantly (x2 =84.69,34.04,all P ＜ 0.01); a total of 270 pupils of grade 5 and 138 housewives were investigated,awareness rates of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis were 93.95％ (761/810) and 93.48％(387/414),which were compared with that of baseline survey,and the awareness rates were improved significantly(x2 =63.94,27.47,all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions After implementation of health education project on endemic diseases,the self-protection awareness of the fifth grade students and housewives is promoted effectively,awareness of prevention knowledge on endemic diseases is raised,which lays a foundation for controlling and eliminating the endemic diseases.