The Findings of Epidemiological Studies on the Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency Disorders in the Khorezm Region of Republic of Uzbekistan

Abstract

Despite the ongoing programs aimed at the liquidation of iodine deficiency in the Republic of Uzbekistan, a high prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) is being observed. As a result of epidemiological studies in 1998 and 2004 it was found that the prevalence of endemic goiter among children in the country was 64.5 and 51.6%, respectively. Dynamics of iodine deficiency decrease was associated with active work on liquidation of IDD: provision of salt-mining and salt-processing plants with iodizing equipment and potassium iodate, conducting of large-scale community health measures among different social gropus, on public enterprises and in private sector, carrying out of regular monitoring of iodine content in salt and urine. In May 2007 there was passed the law of Republic of Uzbekistan «About prevention of iodine deficiency disorders». In this work there was carried out the analysis of IDD in Khoresm region according to WHO recommendations, by sentinel method. It was revealed that prevalence of endemic goiter has been reduced to 38.7 % in 2012 (positive dymanics). We obtained data on the normal content of iodine in salt and urine — 75 and 60.6 %, respectively. Thus, it is found that the prevalence of IDD in the Khorezm region in the dynamics is reduced, although iodine deficiency remains severe.

Keywords

• iodine deficiency disorders
• epidemiology
• Khorezm region of Uzbekistan