To survey on fluorosis awareness of children aged 8-12 in coal-burning type endemic fluorosis in key diseased districts of Guizhou Province, and to provide a basis for school health education.

In 2014, five towns were selected according to five locations as east, south, west, north and center of 23 key diseased districts of Guizhou Province, one complete primary school in each town was chosen to survey on fluorosis awareness of all the children aged 8-12. At the same time, datas of fluorosis knowledge awareness of 23 counties in 2010 were collected and compared with the results of this survey.

In 2014, the students awareness knowledge on endemic fluorosis was 84.21% (247 518/293 940). The awareness of 9 counties was higher than 90%, 5 counties ranged from 80% to 90%, and 9 counties lower than 80%. Compared with 2010 (awareness: 96.58%), 21.74% (5/23) of the counties with increased awareness, and 78.26% (18/23) of the counties with decreased awareness. In overall qustionnaines object, the awareness rates of fluorosis prevention, correct use of coal-fired stoves, correct maintenance method of coal-fired stoves, method of avoid soot pollution food were 81.91% (48 154/58 788), 83.72% (82 026/97 980), 85.11% (66 709/78 384), and 86.12% (50 629/58 788), respectively. The awareness rates of children aged 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were 80.47% (32 359/40 215), 83.36% (52 581/63 075), 85.04% (53 882/63 360), 84.79% (53 328/62 895), and 85.98% (55 368/64 395), respectively, the differences were statistically significant (χ²= 658.93, P < 0.01). The awareness rates of male and female students were 84.35% (128 802/152 700) and 84.05% (118716/141 240), respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (χ²= 3.64, P > 0.05).

The awareness rate of children aged 8-12 in key diseased districts of Guizhou Province is decreased. Work on school health education should be continued, to consolidate control outcomes.

Fluorine; Coal; Health education; Awareness