Population Survey of Iodine Deficiency and Environmental Disruptors of Thyroid Function in Young Children in Haiti

Context: Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable neurodevelopmental delay in children worldwide. It is a possible public health concern in Haiti. Objective: To perform a population iodine survey in Haitian young children, and its influence by environmental factors. Design: Cross-sectional study, March-June 2015. Setting: Community churches in 3 geographical regions in Haiti. Participants: 299 healthy Haitian children aged 9 months to 6 years; 100 enrolled in coastal (C) and mountainous (M) regions, and 99 in an urban region (U). Main Outcome Measures: Markers of iodine status including urinary iodide, serum TSH, goitre assessment, and urinary perchlorate and thiocyanate. Results: Mean age was 3.3±1.6 years, with 51% female, median family income USD 30/week, and 16% moderate or severe malnutrition. Median urinary iodide levels were normal in C (145 mcg/L, interquartile range [IQR] 97-241) and U (187 mcg/L, IQR 92-316) regions, but revealed mild iodine deficiency and were significantly lower i...