Available Data on Iodized Salt Based on Rapid Test Kits Can Provide useful Programmatic Insight
Andrew Thompson *
UNICEF, New York, NY, USA.
Julia Krasevec
UNICEF, New York, NY, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objectives: To ascertain whether iodized salt data from rapid test kits (RTK) could provide programmatic insight if using salt with any iodine (>0 parts per million (ppm) of iodine) to represent programme coverage and salt with >15 ppm of iodine to represent quality coverage.
Methods: Equity data for households consuming iodized salt were extracted from UNICEF's Global database (nationally representative Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys, 2005-2012). Forty-one countries had equity data for coverage and quality coverage based on RTK for one or more of the following: sex of household head, wealth quintile, and area of residence. Data were assessed for patterns of coverage and quality coverage among different groups.
Results: Preliminary analyses indicate that meaningful differences for sex of head of household did not exist for either coverage or quality coverage; however, four distinct patterns emerged for residence and wealth, (ordered from most to least equitable):
Similar coverage; similar relative declines between coverage and quality coverage between subgroups.
Similar coverage; larger relative declines between coverage and quality coverage for the poorest/rural households.
Lower coverage for poorest/rural households; similar relative declines between coverage and quality coverage between subgroups.
Lower coverage for poorest/rural households; larger relative declines between coverage and quality coverage for the poorest/rural households.
Conclusions: While RTKs do not provide data with the same level of precision as titration, comparison of salt with any iodine (coverage) and >15 ppm iodine (quality coverage) based on RTK between different populations can infer distinct recommendations for further data collection and programmatic actions.