title: [Deliberate use of several products for Pediculus capitis (De Geer, 1778) control by parents or tutors of elementary school children].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  self-medication and use of several products as peliculicides seem to be common procedures for those persons living with schoolchildren, in order to eliminate head lice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to analyze the deliberate use of several products by the people living with elementary school children, so as to control their pediculosis capitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  a questionnaire- and exchange of opinion-based survey on the products used to control or eliminate head lice was administered to 896 people who lived with children aged 5 to 10 years. These children studied in 19 elementary schools in urban and suburban areas located in the western, central and eastern provinces of Cuba.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the surveyed population mentioned more than 40 products. Among the most reported substances were alcohol, DDT and lindano which were previously rejected owing to their toxicity and ineffectiveness. There were also reports on products from agricultural, public health and veterinary medicine, including those devoted to plague control such as temephos, steladon, malathion, parathion, baytex; also oil derivatives like brake fluid, kerosene and gasoline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the paper mentioned a number of toxic substances used in treating Pediculus capitis in children, the risks of which outweighted the expected benefits. The percentage of persons who manually remove lice from the head as the only treatment is low; however, this is the less harmful and more effective method.
authors: Departamento Control de Vectores, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. natividad@ipk.sld.cu
authors: Natividad
authors: N
authors: Hernández Contreras
authors: Yalina
authors: Y
authors: Chang Camero
authors: Yarina
authors: Y
authors: Santana Suárez
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Machado Martínez
authors: Alicia M
authors: AM
authors: Martinez Izquierdo
authors: Lourdes de la C
authors: Lde L
authors: Pui Vazquez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010290:Parents; D010374:Pediculus; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires