Prevalence and determinants of goitre among children of South Kordofan state, Sudan, 2021: an urgent need for effective implementation of universal salt iodisation

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 27; no. 1; p. e18
• Main Authors: Abdalla, Azza Elfadil, Altahir, Anfal Mahmoud, Hasabo, Elfatih A., Alrawa, Salma Salah, Elazrag, Amna Mutasim, Ahmed, Hayat Abdoallah, Ali, Hiba Abubakr, Abdelrazig, Ibrahim Mysara, Ahmed, Mohamed Yaser, Alagib, Mohamed Alsiddig, Siddig, Musab Mohammed, Asmally, Rofida Salah, Mohamedelrasheed, Salma Mohamed, Elnaiem, Walaa Abdulgadir, Malik, Elfatih Mohammed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Child; Children; Control programs; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Disease prevention; Drinking water; Education; Families & family life; Female; Goiter - epidemiology; Goiter - prevention & control; Goitre; Health facilities; Health services; Humans; Iodine; iodine deficiency disorders; Medical students; Nutrient deficiency; Nutritional Epidemiology; Population; Prevalence; Questionnaires; Research Paper; Salt; Salts; Sample size; Sociodemographics; Sodium Chloride, Dietary; Sudan; Sudan - epidemiology; Thyroid gland; universal salt iodisation; Sudan; universal salt iodisation; iodine deficiency disorders; Goitre; Sudan
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980023002744

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of goitre among children aged 6-12 years at South Kordofan state. This was a cross-sectional facility-based study. The study was conducted in twenty villages of South Kordofan state during a medical mission. All 575 school-age children (6-12 years) who attended the medical day were examined for clinical assessment of goitre. The prevalence of goitre among children of South Kordofan was 42·8 % (grade 1: 15·7 %, grade 2: 27·1 %). Only 24·2 % of caregivers reported using iodised salt. Mothers working as farmers (OR: 3·209, CI 95 % 1·437, 7·167; = 0·004) and children of Darforian tribes (OR: 21·799, CI 95 % 2·566, 185·226; = 0·005) were found to be significantly associated with higher prevalence of goitre among children. This contrasts with children of African tribes, where they were found to have less goitre prevalence (OR: 0·432, CI 95 % 0·213, 0·875; = 0·02). Iodised salt utilisation (OR = 0·523, CI 95 % 0·320, 0·854; = 0·01) was found associated with a lower prevalence of goitre. Even though National Iodine Deficiency Disorders control programs were initiated in Sudan more than 25 years ago, the prevalence of goitre among children in South Kordofan state was alarming (42·8 %). Efforts to improve access to iodised salt, increase utilisation and raise awareness are urgently needed.