title: Prevalence of pediculosis capitis and determination of risk factors in primary-school children in Kerman.
abstract: This descriptive, analytical study was carried out in 2003 to determine the prevalence of pediculosis capitis and some risk factors among primary-school pupils in Kerman. We selected 1200 pupils (53% girls) from 50 primary schools by multistage, systematic random sampling. Their hair was examined for head louse infestation: 45 (3.8%) were infected with lice, 43 (95.5%) girls and 2 (4.5%) boys. The highest rate of infestation was in 9-year-olds. There was a significant relationship between head louse infestation and sex (P < 0.0001), age (P < 0.05), parents' education (P < 0.0001), father's job (P < 0.01), family size (P < 0.01), length of hair (P < 0.0001) and having separate bathing facilities in the house (P < 0.0001).
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Faculty of Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran. fkamiabi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kamiabi
authors.forename: F Hosain
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Nakhaei
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001494:Baths; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006306:Health Surveys; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010374:Pediculus; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data