Evaluation of a health education program for head lice infestation in female primary school students in Chabahar City, Iran.

BACKGROUND An important health problem in students is pediculosis capitis (head lice infestation) which causes physical, mental, and social complications. Social stigma induces feeling of shame, anger, and embarrassment for families and may prevent people from coming forward. METHODS This study was a quasi-experimental (case - control) study which was done during periods of 2008 - 2009. Data collection tools were questionnaire, checklist, and head examination. Two schools were randomly selected among female primary schools in Chabahar, where 153 students were divided into case and control groups. After collecting the data, an educational program was designed and performed in the experimental group and was evaluated after two months. RESULTS The results showed a significant difference in knowledge, attitude, and practice of the students in the case group, before and after the intervention (P < 0.0001), but  in the control group it was not significant (P > 0.05) .The infestation rate was 69.3% in the case group before the intervention, and 82.1 % in the control group, which decreased to 26.7% in the case group after the education (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant difference in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The health education program had a positive effect on the reduction of pediculosis capitis among students; thus, it is suggested to perform and evaluate educational programs in students and their parents.