Mahmood Moosazadeh, Mahdi Afshari, Zohreh Hajheydari, Ali charkameh, Asghar Nezammahalleh, Aliakbar Zerafat, Foroozan Rezaei, Maryam Rankoohi, Nasim Safari, Jalil Shojaei, Ahmad Ali Enayati
January 26, 2019
Article number: 20180039
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.