Total goitre rate in rural primary school children aged 8-12 years and impact of their health education, on consumption of iodised salt among their families.

In the present study, the total goitre rate was assessed in children aged 8-12 years, attending a rural primary school along with a longitudinal, educational intervention study undertaken among them, regarding proper comsumption of iodised salt and percolating this to their families through them. It was carried over a period of four months and 110 children, studying in a rural primary school, were the study population. The total goitre rate among the surveyed school children was found to be 6%, indicating mild Iodine deficiency disorder prevalence, according to accepted recommendations. Before health education was given, 100% salt as collected on first fortnight was iodised, but optimum iodisation was present only in 80.4% of the samples tested. In view of all these, it emerges that the area is in a transitional phase of iodine deficiency to iodine sufficiency. Over the period of study, during which educational input was provided, there was increase in the voluntary participation of the students regarding bringing of salt for iodine estimation (p < 0.05). On analysis the children were very good at percolating the health education to the parents and significant change was observed in their practice as well.