OBJECTIVETo draft out the simplified scheme of iodized salt monitoring program to compare with the current scheme, and to study its feasibility.

METHODS8 counties from 4 provinces were selected at different coverage rate of iodized salt. Conduct the monitoring program using the current scheme and the simplified scheme, then compare the results.

RESULTSThe monitoring results of the current scheme showed the coverage rate of iodized salt and adequate iodized salt were 88.1% and 84.8% and the data of the simplified scheme were 85.2% and 79.8% respectively. Five counties reached above 90% of both the coverage rates of iodized salt and adequate iodized salt and the results showed no significant difference between the two schemes. The rates of other three counties were low, and the difference was significant between Dulan and Linxia counties. To the whole samples, the difference was also significant.

CONCLUSIONThe simplified scheme could be applied to those that the coverage rate of iodized salt was quite high or the non-iodized salt was well-distrbuted. However, for those areas with low coverage rate, it might not be suitable. As for the whole nation, it might not be popularized due to the gap of coverage rate between western and eastern areas.