KUMJ | VOL. 17 | NO. 4 | ISSUE 68 | OCT.-DEC. 2019
Awareness of Thyroid Disorders among Nepalese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Singh DR, Bista B, Yadav BK, Karki K, Ghimire S, Singh S
Abstract: Background
Thyroid disorders are emerging public health issues. Clients’ awareness is crucial
for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of the thyroid disorders. Studies,
assessing knowledge on thyroid disorders among Nepalese population, is lacking.
Objective
To assess the awareness of thyroid disorders among women, a susceptible subgroup,
and find the correlates of poor knowledge.
Method
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 women at the gynecological
outpatient department of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Eighteen-item
scale, with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.913, was developed to assess participant’s
knowledge on various constructs of thyroid disorder. A linear regression model with
Bootstrap approach was used to identify the predictors of the total knowledge score.
Result
The mean (±SD) age of the participant was 29.2 ± 7.0 years. About 49% of the women
had inadequate knowledge, defined at or below the mean cumulative knowledge
score. In linear regression, the total knowledge score was significantly lower among
participants who were Janajati (β=-2.87, BCa 95%CI=-4.61, -1.11), illiterate (β=6.37,
BCa 95%CI =-9.14, -3.21), and low income (β=-3.76, BCa 95%CI=-5.68, -1.83).
Likewise, a university education (β=5.94, BCa 95%CI=3.50, 8.26), working status
(β=4.04, BCa 95%CI=2.19, 5.81), urban residence (β=2.06, BCa 95%CI=0.02, 3.96) and
family history (β=2.20, BCa 95%CI=0.71, 3.63) of thyroid disorder predicted higher
knowledge score.
Conclusion
This study identified a poor level of knowledge on thyroid disorders among Nepali
women and thus proposes them to be an important subgroup for an intervention or
policy aimed at promoting awarenessof thyroid disorders. The findings also warrant
increased awareness among these population through hospital and communitybased
behavior
change
communication
campaigns.
Keyword : Awareness, Thyroid disorders, Women
