Table II.
Consumption of iodized salt among pregnant women (n=360), Karachi, Pakistan.
| Items in questionnaire | Frequency (N) | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Do you use iodized salt in your home? | ||
| Yes | 116 | 31 |
| No | 244 | 68 |
| Why you do not use iodized salt? | ||
| The price of iodized salt is more than that of normal salt | 48 | 12 |
| The iodized salt has negative impact on reproduction (infertility) | 8 | 1 |
| The family member does not advice it. | 33 | 8 |
| Iodized salt differs in taste than normal salt | 24 | 7 |
| Iodized salt is not available easily | 13 | 4 |
| Heard about iodized salt first time | 86 | 24 |
| Iodized salt granules are thickened and does not dissolve easily | 6 | 2 |
| Others | 15 | 3 |
| Any or whatever available salt in the market | 11 | 2 |
| Do you add iodized salt to your food since it prevents from iodine deficiency disorder? | ||
| Yes | 16 | 3 |
| No | 97 | 27 |
| Does your health care provider or doctor inform you about importance of iodine or about iodine requirement during pregnancy? | ||
| Yes | 8 | 2.2 |
| No | 352 | 98 |
| Do you use iodized salt during cooking or sprinkle it on top of the food? | ||
| During cooking | 114 | 32 |
| Sprinkle it after cooking | 2 | 0.6 |
| Do you know that iodized salt is affected by sunlight, heat and moisture? | ||
| Sunlight | 5 | 1.4 |
| Heat | 16 | 3 |
| Moisture | 28 | 8 |
| All | 9 | 2.5 |
| No effect | 12 | 2 |
| Do not know | 46 | 13 |
| Where do you store iodized salt in the kitchen? | ||
| Plastic container | 28 | 8 |
| Covered glass container | 5 | 1.4 |
| Air tight container (plastic) with fitting lid | 82 | 23 |
| Other | 1 | 0.3 |
| Do you read labeling on salt bag when you buy salt to make sure that salt it is iodized? | ||
| Yes | 60 | 17 |
| No | 56 | 16 |