Goiter Prevalence in School Children in Three Districts of Jammu Region

Abstract

BACKGROUND: IDD (Iodine Deficiency Disorders) is still a major public health problem in J&K as in other parts of country despite measures taken to combat it. Repeated surveys are only means to monitor the situation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the present prevalence of goiter in various districts of Jammu province.

METHODS: Using EPI 30 cluster methodology, 10800 school children (aged, 6-12 years) were selected from three randomly chosen districts of Jammu province. Subjects were clinically examined and graded for goiter as per joint WHO/UNICEF/ ICCIDD recommendations.

RESULTS: The goitre prevalence in three districts was observed to be 19.84% with a highest prevalence of 26.75% in Samba district (p = 0.0001). Understandably the prevalence of goitre in age group of 6-9 years was lower than that in 9-12 age group. ( (p=0.005)

CONCLUSIONS: Total goiter prevalence rate remains to be at an unacceptable high rate. Preventive public health measures need to be augmented in area along with strengthening of monitoring and surveillance of IDD. JMS 2012;15(1):28-31.