The role of health education in prevention of Giardia lamblia infection in primary schools in a Suburb Area of Kerman city

In order to evaluate the role of health education, 4 primary schools were surveyed. The number of students in these schools were about 600, at the age of 7-10 years, including a boys school, and a girls school located at the eastern part  of Bagh sarasiab, in the Suburb of Kerman city as the experimental group and also a boys school and a girls school at the western part of the same village, 4 km away treated with recommended doses of metronidazole or furazolidone. After duration of 4 and 6 weeks fecal samples were taken and the infected students were treated for the second or third time by same drugs, so that no evidence of giardiasis was observed at this stage. About 300 students in 8 educational classes including 4 boys classes; each with a capacity of 36 students were taught basic health matters as a systematic educational program, for a period of 6 months. Six months after termination of classes, the feces of all students were reexamined. In general, the extent of infection in the educated students was decreased about 2.5℅ as compared to the control group. From the statistical point of view, there was neither a significant difference between educated and non educated boys or girls, nor between the total educated and uneducated groups. However the average score for knowledge in educated students was significantly different from that of the control students . The main problem in the lack of full success was probably due to insufficient cooperation of parents and other members of the family, who have an important role in transmission and propagation of the infection.