Moosazadeh M, Afshari M, Hajheydari Z, Charkameh A, Nezammahalleh A, Zerafat A, Rezaei F, Rankoohi M, Safari N, Shojaei J, Enayati AA. Prevalence of pediculosis and its related factors among primary school girls in the north of Iran.
Int J Adolesc Med Health 2019;
33:/j/ijamh.ahead-of-print/ijamh-2018-0039/ijamh-2018-0039.xml. [PMID:
30685740 DOI:
10.1515/ijamh-2018-0039]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Head lice infestation is one of the main public health problems worldwide and a sanitary, cultural and economic indicator for communities' health. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of head lice infestation among female primary school children in selected districts of Mazandaran Province, Iran.
METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, 3033 female school children were recruited using the consensus method. Head lice infestation was defined as visible adult lice, nymph or egg with the naked eye. Data were described by percent frequency and analyzed using the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression models. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS
Prevalence of head lice infestation among female school children was estimated at 7.9%. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) [95% confidence intervals (CI)] for rural residents, low level educated mothers, family size more than five and not combing their hair were 1.96 (1.41-2.78), 2.46 (1.35-4.49), 2.04 (1.12-3.70) and 3.94 (1.73-8.96), respectively. In addition, considering first grade students as a reference group, the ORs (95% CI) for second and third grades were 1.89 (1.18-3.05) and 1.69 (1.05-2.74), respectively.
CONCLUSION
Our study showed that studying in urban schools, low educational level of mothers, grade, family size and no history of regular combing were predictors of head lice infestation.
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