Table 4.

Mother’s knowledge and attitude towards iodized salt use, Dabat District northwest Ethiopia, 2016 (n = 735)

Variables	Frequency	Percentage
Knowledge
Low	207	28.2
Medium	284	38.6
High	244	33.2
Attitude
Low	267	36.3
Medium	254	34.6
High	214	29.1
Importance of iodized salta
Prevention of goiter	115	15.6
Growth and development	17	2.3
For health	380	51.7
I don’t know	327	44.5
The richest source of iodinea
Egg	25	3.4
Meat	40	5.4
Milk and milk products	39	5.3
Iodized salt	68	9.3
Fish	8	1.1
Fruit and vegetables	9	1.2
I don’t know	611	83.1
Disorders of lack of iodinea
Mental retardation	27	3.7
Goiter	182	24.8
Retarded growth	9	1.2
Abortion	9	1.2
Child mortality	2	0.3
I don’t know	519	70.6
All salts contain iodine
Yes	77	10.5
No	220	29.9
I don’t know	438	59.6
Selling of non-iodized salt is inhibited in Ethiopia
Yes	45	6.1
No	186	25.3
I don’t know	504	68.6
Test of iodized salt is different from unionized one
Yes	185	25.2
No	276	37.6
I don’t know	274	37.3
Iodized salt has a harmful effect on health
Yes	33	4.5
No	619	84.2
I don’t know	83	11.3
Sea salt contains iodine in the right quantities
Yes	103	14
No	406	55.2
I don’t know	226	30.7
Ever seen people with swelling in the neck
Yes	333	45.3
No	402	54.7
Causes of swelling in the neck (n = 333)a
Genetics	46	13.8
Contaminated water	115	34.5
Drinking left over water	72	21.6
Sharing drinking material together	12	3.6
Drinking water contaminated by bird	6	1.8
Lack of iodine	34	10.2
I don’t know	47	14.1
Iodized salt prevents goiter (n = 333)
Yes	78	23.4
No	160	48
I don’t know	95	28.6

^aMultiple responses