Journal of health research in community

Introduction and purpose: Pediculosis capitis is one of the parasitic skin diseases, which is widespread in many parts of the world since it is contagious.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pediculosis capitis and its related risk factors among the elementary students in Kalaleh, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on the primary students in 2015. For the purpose of the study, 541 students were examined for head lice infestation using a two-stage sampling method. The survey data were collected through direct examination of the skin, hair, and head cover as well as a questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test by SPSS version 20 software. Results: As the results of this study demonstrated, the prevalence of pediculosis capitis among the elementary school students in Kalaleh was 6.5%. There was a significant relationship between the pediculosis capitis and gender, using of personal belongings, sleeping in the same room, and observing personal hygiene such as washing hands frequently with detergents, changing clothes regularly, and taking a bath at least two times a week. However, no significant relationship was observed between the pediculosis capitis and level of education, place of residence, age, father’s occupation, education level of parents, number of household members, having a bathroom in the house, having a health educator, and type of hair. Conclusion: As the findings of the present study indicated, the head lice infestation is highly prevalent among the primary students in Kalaleh city. Regarding this, it is recommended to train the health educators, teachers, parents, and students in order to prevent this infestation.