Objective: To assess iodine status and its determinants in women of childbearing age in a rural area in the Kayes region, Mali, West Africa.
Design: Cross-sectional study where women's iodine status was indicated by urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and level of goitre based on palpation. Salt iodine was assessed semi-quantitatively at household level. Individual characteristics were collected using questionnaires.
Setting: Fifteen villages in a rural area in the Kayes region of Mali.
Subjects: Women aged 15-45 years (n=423).
Results: Median UIC was 2.7 microg dl(-1), and only 6% of the women had adequate iodine status of UIC >10 microg dl(-1). Most women (60%) had visible goitre, and only 9% were classified as without goitre. Only 39% of the households were using salt with any iodine, and level of knowledge about salt iodisation was low. Main determinants of UIC were breast-feeding and level of salt iodisation; currently breast-feeding women had lower UIC, and UIC increased with increasing level of iodine in household salt. Prevalence of goitre was lower in older women with higher body mass index.
Conclusion: The study indicates severe iodine deficiency in the study area. Urgent action is needed to improve the situation through enforcing salt iodisation legislation and increasing the level of knowledge about the importance of iodised salt in the population.