1Assistant Professor, HOD, Department of Biostatistics, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS-Ponekkara, Kochi, Kerala
2Associate Professor, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Oman Medical College, Sohar, Sultanate of Oman
3Assistant Professor in Nursing, Amrita College of Nursing, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS-Ponekkara, Kochi, Kerala
4Formerly Tutor in Medical Entomology, Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalapet, Pondicherry
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Senthilvel Vasudevan, Assistant Professor-Cum-HOD in-charge in Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, AIMS-Ponekkara, Kochi, Kerala-682041 Mobile No: 9387651050 Email ID: senthilvel@aims.amrita.edu
Online published on 5 May, 2018.
Iodine is an essential micronutrient needed for normal human growth and brain development.
A community based observational study was done in Anichakuppam, Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, South India in the year of 2012 with a sample of 2830 individuals from 1233 households. Eight villages were randomly selected and data were collected by house-to-house survey. All age groups were included with an exclusion of <2 years in this present study.
In the present study, overall goiter prevalence was 8% of which the visible goiter rate was 2.6%. The prevalence of goiter is more in the lower socio-economic group, higher prevalence was found in females as compared to males’ population.
We have concluded that the prevalence of goiter would be reduced by consuming mineral water for drinking purpose and by a program of distribution of iodized salt has been initiated to eliminate goiter problem.
Iodine deficiency disorder, rural population, prevalence, goiter, source of water
