A district health officer surveys school children aged 6 to 12 years and finds that more than 5% have palpable thyroid enlargement. By WHO criteria, the area should be classified as:
- A Sporadic goitre area
- B Endemic goitre area ✓
- C Hyperendemic goitre area
- D Iodine sufficient area
Correct answer: B. Endemic goitre area
Explanation
WHO defines endemic goitre as present when goitre is seen in more than 5% of school children aged 6 to 12 years. This age group is used because it reflects current population iodine status better than adults. A total goitre rate above 5% signals inadequate iodine intake and triggers corrective public health measures such as salt iodisation monitoring. Sporadic goitre refers to scattered individual cases without geographic clustering, so option A does not fit a population survey finding.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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