Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of pregnant women about iodized salt and its availability in their households in Hawassa city, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among pregnant women with a total sample size (N) = 553 in Hawassa city. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed. First, four sub-cities of Hawassa city (out of eight sub-cities) were selected using the lottery method. Households of pregnant women in each selected sub-city were identified and screened. Finally, representative samples were drawn using systematic random sampling technique. RESULTS: A total of 537 pregnant women was included, a response rate of 97.1%. This was due to incomplete data for nine and participation refusal for seven participants. The mean age of the participants was 26.98 ± 4.75 years. About 52.51% and 52.33% of the respondents had good knowledge and good salt handling practices, respectively. Regarding availability of iodized salt, 65.55% of pregnant women (31.66% salt with iodine level ⩾15 parts per million (ppm) and 33.89% salt with iodine level <15 ppm) had iodized salt and the remaining 34.45% non-iodized salt (0 ppm) respectively. CONCLUSION: Availability of iodized salt in households of pregnant women was 65.55% (>0 ppm). More than one-third of pregnant women in Hawassa city are utilized non-iodized salt (0 ppm). Nearly half of the pregnant women in Hawassa city had poor knowledge and poor practice about iodized salt. Hawassa city Health Department along with concerned stakeholders should invest more effort to increase awareness about iodized salt and how to handle it safely in households.