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Epidemiological Study of Risk Factors for Goiter among Primary Schoolchildren in Southern Ethiopia

Background Iodine-deficiency disorders are a major public health problem all over the world. Goiter is the most visible manifestation of iodine-deficiency disorder. Goiter rate is useful to assess the long-term impact of iodine-deficiency disorders. Objective To determine the risk factors for goiter in primary schoolchildren in southern Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study on a sample population of 270 children 6 to 12 years of age with goiter and 264 without goiter was conducted in a primary school in Sodo Town, southern Ethiopia. All students in each class were examined for the presence of goiter and classified based on World Health Organization criteria. For each child with goiter, the next child without goiter was selected from the same class. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the effect of independent variables on the goiter rate. Results A total of 534 participants (270 children with goiter and 264 without goiter) were included. Although the difference was not significant, the prevalence of goiter was higher among girls than among boys (54.8% vs. 45.2%), and the prevalence in both sexes increased with age. In the multivariate logistic regression model, consuming common goitrogenic foods (adjusted OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.9) and drinking water from the river (adjusted OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.9) were independently associated with goiter. Conclusions Goiter rate is significantly associated with consumption of goitrogenic food items in the area and contaminated drinking water. Creating awareness in the community about the consumption of food items and provision of tap water by concerned bodies in the area is recommended to prevent iodine-deficiency disorders.