Field Epidemiological Investigation
An online survey on iodine deficient disorders knowledge and its control in urban doctors and nurses
Lu Zhou, Ming Qian, Qinggang Chen, Lifu Liang, Yan Gao, Min Di, Shengyi Wang, Jiaqi Zhang, Xiulian Li
Published 2018-07-20
Cite as Chin J Endemiol, 2018, 37(7): 557-561. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.2095-4255.2018.07.009
Abstract
ObjectiveTo understand the awareness level of iodine deficiency (ID) impairments and the attitude on edible iodized salt, and its consumption among doctors and nurses in cities, in order to provide scientific evidence for health education on iodine deficient disorders (IDD) in the future.
MethodsThe questionnaire was self-designed, and spread through the web page of Wenjuanxing, an online server company, from May 6 to June 6, 2017. At the end of the survey, a total of 481 valid questionnaires were reclaimed, in which ratio of gender was female 63.8% (307/481), male 36.2% (174/481). The data were analyzed by SPSS 22.0, including logistic regression analysis with backward according to the statistical significant level of P < 0.05.
ResultsAmong doctors and nurses, 90.4% (435/481) knew ID impairments; 72.8% (350/481) answered intelligent disability as the most serious problem of ID; 55.5% (267/481) misunderstood that the areas in which they lived were not ID areas, although all cities surveyed were ID areas; 41.0% (197/481) of doctors and nurses misunderstood that coastal residents did not need to consume iodized salt. About the evaluation of iodine nutrition status of current population, 15.6% (75/481) of respondents judged as iodine excess. About consuming edible salt, 76.3% (367/481) selected iodized, 9.6% (46/481) non-iodized, and 14.1% (68/481) both iodized and non-iodized. The results of logistic regression analysis showed the factors that prevents health care workers from choosing iodized salt were: "living in coastal areas", "think him or her as iodine adequate", "know that iodine deficiency can affect the development of children but still adhere to the consumption of non-iodized salt"; the factors that promoted the choice of iodized salt for medical staff were "insist on buying iodized salt, and do not choose non-iodized salt", and 75.8% (238/314) of them knew that intelligent disability as the most serious problem of ID.
ConclusionsMost doctors and nurses have high level of knowledge on ID and its control. But lack of information, as well as misunderstanding of "coastal areas iodine adequate" and worry about "excess iodine causes thyroid diseases and cancer", which would hinder the active consumption of iodized salt. Health education for them should be conducted through professional ways, stressing on the threaten of ID environment, sharing the information about national and local progress on control of IDD and iodized salt safety, and clarifying the relationship between iodine salt or iodine and thyroid cancer and nodules.
Key words:
Deficiency diseases, iodine; Salts; Health education; Doctors and nurses; Questionnaire
Contributor Information
Lu Zhou
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Ming Qian
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Qinggang Chen
Tianjin Anding Hospital, Tianjin 300070, China
Lifu Liang
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Yan Gao
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Min Di
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Shengyi Wang
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Jiaqi Zhang
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
Xiulian Li
Medical Psychology Department, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Key Lab of Hormones and Development, the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
