Table 1 Maternal Demographics, Nutritional Information and Iodine Status by Location
Demographic | Accra N = 123 (%) | Tamale N = 122 (%) |
Mother’s Age | ||
 Years, [mean, IQR] | 29.6 (25–34) | 29.3 (25–33) |
Educational Level | ||
 None | 3 (2.4) | 39 (32.0) |
 Lower primary | 4 (3.3) | 3 (2.5) |
 Upper primary | 5 (4.1) | 3 (2.5) |
 Junior High School | 46 (37.4) | 17 (13.9) |
 Senior High School | 36 (29.3) | 20 (16.4) |
 Tertiary | 29 (23.6) | 40 (32.8) |
Parity | ||
 1st time | 56 (45.0) | 37 (30.0) |
 Multiparous | 67 (55.0) | 85 (70.0) |
Nutrition Information | ||
Salt Type Used at Home | ||
 Rock salt alone | 12 (9.8) | 22 (18.0) |
 Ground up salt alone | 48 (39.0) | 63 (51.6) |
 Rock and Ground up salt | 63 (51.2) | 37 (30.3) |
Iodized Salt Use | ||
 Yes | 110 (89.4) | 92 (75.4) |
 No | 12 (9.8) | 29 (23.8) |
 I don’t know | 1 (0.8) | 1 (0.8) |
Frequency of Iodized Salt Use | ||
 All the time | 51 (46.4) | 61 (66.3) |
 Most of the time | 19 (17.3) | 6 (6.5) |
 Sometimes | 37 (33.6) | 22 (23.9) |
 Rarely | 3 (2.7) | 3 (3.26) |
Bouillon Cube Use | ||
 Yes | 110 (89.4) | 114 (93.4) |
 No | 13 (10.6) | 8 (6.6) |
Bouillon Cube Use Frequency | ||
 All the time | 33 (30.0) | 79 (69.3) |
 Most of the time | 8 (7.3) | 8 (7.0) |
 Sometimes | 66 (60.0) | 26 (22.8) |
 Rarely | 3 (2.7) | 1 (0.9) |
Sea Food Use | ||
 Yes | 117 (95.1) | 117 (95.9) |
 No | 6 (4.9) | 5 (4.1) |
Seafood Use Frequency | ||
 Daily | 23 (19.7) | 53 (45.3) |
 Several times a week | 16 (13.7) | 50 (42.7) |
 Once or twice a week | 55 (83.3) | 11 (16.7) |
 Less than once/ week | 23 (19.7) | 3 (2.6) |
Iodine status | ||
Maternal Urine Iodine Concentration | ||
 μg/L, [median, 95% CI] | 141.0 (115.7–166.5) | 142.5 (125.1–160.0) |
Iodine Status | ||
 Severe iodine deficiency | 1 (0.8) | 0 (0) |
 Moderate iodine deficiency | 9 (7.3) | 8 (6.6) |
 Mild iodine deficiency | 28 (22.8) | 28 (23.1) |
 Iodine sufficient | 49 (39.8) | 54 (44.6) |
 Above requirements | 24 (19.5) | 15 (12.4) |
 Excessive iodine | 12 (9.8) | 16 (13.2) |