Prevalence of Pediculosis and Associated Risk Factors among Elementary School Females in Mashhad, Iran, during 2017- 2018

Background & Aims of the Study: Pediculosis is a parasitic disease and one of the main factors affecting the health level of the society. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with the prevalence of pediculosis in elementary school females in Mashhad, Iran, from 2017 to 2018. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and analytical study included 3062 elementary school female students who were selected by a multistage systematic random sampling in Mashhad, Iran. Experienced health experts examined the students for the presence of nits or live lice. Demographic information form was employed to collect data on gender, place of residence, and others. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 18.0) through a Chi-square analysis. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 3062 elementary school females, 417 cases were infected with pediculosis and the average infection rate of 13.6%. The results showed that head lice infestation was significantly correlated with factors, such as age, school grade, sleeping in a common room, using shared personal instruments, personal health care, parents' educational level, and hair shape (P<0.05). On the other hand, head lice infestation was not significantly correlated with health expert presence at schools, family size, and fathers' occupational status (P>0.05). Conclusion: The enhancement of standards for personal health and raising the awareness of teachers and parents about the prevention methods and risk factors associated with pediculosis can significantly reduce the prevalence of this infection among female school children in the regions under study.