Impact of knowledge, attitude, and practice on iodized salt consumption at the household level in selected coastal regions of Bangladesh.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Iodine deficiency disorder is one of the major hidden hunger for poverty-stricken coastal rural areas of Bangladesh. Despite various programs, including universal salt iodization, IDD is significantly persistent due to poverty, inadequate knowledge, poor attitude, and practice of iodized salt consumption. The present study aimed to determine iodine concentration in salt at the household level as well as the magnitude of knowledge, attitude, and practice related to iodized salt utilization and iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs). MATERIAL AND METHOD: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out using multistage sampling among 400 households in four coastal districts in Bangladesh. A standard pretested questionnaire was used to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice towards iodized salt consumption. The iodine level was measured using the gold standard iodometric titration technique in the collected salt samples from the selected households. RESULT: The study results revealed that almost half of the participants had good knowledge regarding a balanced diet, whereas the positive attitude and practice of balanced diet consumption was relatively low (only 16.2% and 11.3%, respectively). The respondents' education profile and age were strongly correlated with knowledge and attitude; however, the practice was not significantly correlated with age and education. The concentration of iodine in salt at household levels was strongly associated with the practice of using iodized salt. Use of adequate iodized salt was 2.838 times (OR 2.838, 95% CI 1.7-4.735) and 3.884 times (OR 3.884, 95%CI 2.029-7.433) more likely to have a positive attitude and good practice towards iodized salt and IDDs respectively. CONCLUSION: Proper knowledge about iodized salt and IDDs should be introduced to all public education premises levels. Interventions and programs can be formulated to enhance knowledge, attitude, and practice at the household level so that the consumption of adequate iodized salt can be ensured to reduce iodine deficiency problems.