Knowledge of Thyroid Disorders among Women in a Rural Area, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism are common disorders of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism is approximately ten times more prevalent in women than men and it causes adverse effects during pregnancy. Health seeking behavior of women depends upon their knowledge of the disease. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness of thyroid disorders among women and to determine the association between socio-demographic variables and knowledge score. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among women in a rural area Pulipakkam, Chengalpet district, Tamil Nadu. A simple random sampling method was adopted to select participants for the sample size of 400. The participants were interviewed by using a semi-structured questionnaire. Knowledge score was assigned as 0 and 1 for incorrect and correct responses respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS software 16v. Results: 53.75% of women had an inadequate score, 42.25% had a moderate score and adequate score accounts for 4% of women. The knowledge score was significantly associated with age group, education, socio-economic status, marital status, and women with a history of thyroid disorders. Conclusion: The level of knowledge of thyroid disorders was inadequate among women. Women should be aware of thyroid disorders as it causes adverse effects during pregnancy. Health education measures should be strengthened for creating awareness of thyroid disorders. It should be started early as in adolescent girls via Adolescent friendly health clinics.