@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 2383-2150    Journal of Education and Community Health 2019;6(1):3-9

Background
Head lice are one of the important health issues in students, which cause physical, social, and mental complications.
Previous Studies
... [1-3]. According to the studies in Iran on head lice, the prevalence of head lice is increasing among students [4]. ... [5-9]. Different levels of pollution have been reported in different parts Iran; for example, its prevalence in 2010 in primary school girls in Qom was 6.6% [10], 65.1% in Sari in 2012 [3] and in Tonekabon, Pakdasht and Qom provinces, it reported 5.74%, 1.3% and 13.3% in 2013, respectively [1, 11, 12]. ... [13-18].
Aim(s)
This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the preventive behaviors against head lice infestation among female primary school students at Eyvan, Iran in 2016.
Research type
The present study was a descriptive-analytic study.
Research society, place and time
The present study was performed on 157 female 4th and 5th grades primary school students in 2016.
Sampling method and number
Samples were selected using random sampling method (two-stage cluster sampling). At first, the list of governmental primary school for girls was provided and two schools were selected randomly from six schools. The researcher referred to each school and studied all students attending the fourth and fifth grade classes. Sample size was determined 63 individuals, based on the study by Moshki et al. [20], the formula for determining the sample size in quantitative studies, a 95% confidence coefficient, a standard deviation of 1.71 and an error of 0.42.
Used devices&materials
Data were collected using a questionnaire and a behavioral observation checklist. The used tool was a researcher-made questionnaire, in which the questions were designed using the available literature and according to the research objectives. The questionnaire comprised from two parts. In the first part, 19 background questions (such as the education level, the family size, occupation and parents’ education), and in the second part, 10 questions about the students' knowledge about head lice, transmission and prevention (for example, lice head prefer more long and dirty hair) methods were asked. Content validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by specialists who were expert in relevant fields, such as health education and medical entomology by qualitative method, and the some changes were made. The correlation coefficient of the questions was as follows: knowledge: 0.88, perceived sensitivity: 0.95, perceived severity: 0.89, perceived benefits: 0.94, perceived barriers: 0.94, self-efficacy: 0.79 and the behavior: 0.85 (based on the performing the questionnaire for two times). After completing questionnaires by students, data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software using descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent t-test, Pearson correlation and logistic regression analysis.
Findings by Text
In terms of demographic characteristics, 54.1% of the samples studied in the fifth grade. The father of the majority of students had non-governmental jobs (32.5%) followed by employee (89.2%). The majority of students had housewife mothers (89.2%). The majority of fathers had diploma (43.9%) and only 23.6% had university degrees. Also, the majority of mothers (48.4%) had secondary school education and only 16.6% had university education. In terms of a history of head lice, 2.5% of the students (4 subjects) reported a history of head lice. The statistical mean of the health belief model variables is presented in Table 1. The fourth grade students had higher knowledge (p=0.001) and perceived severity (p=0.003) than the fifth grade students, which was statistically significant. Also, the knowledge of those with a history Pediculosis Capitis was significantly higher than those who did not have previous history of infection (p=0.039, Table 2).There was a significant correlation between the level of knowledge and perceived severity (p<0.001; r=0.357), perceived sensitivity with perceived severity (r=0.293, p<0.001), perceived severity with (r=0.007; r = 0.213) and also between self-efficacy and preventive behaviors from pediculosis Capitis infection (r=-0.499, p<0.001; Table 3).Having employed mothers was effective in head lice infection (p=0.004), and the risk for pediculosis Capitis infection increased by 0.013 due to each employed mother than housewife mothers (Table 4).In predicting the preventive behavior, health belief model constructs predicted 26.4% preventive behaviors, which self-efficacy was the only powerful predictor (p=0.0001; Table 5).In terms of cue of action, physicians (87.2%), parents (83.5%), health educators (61%), radio and television programs (36%), teachers (23%) and classmates and friends (18%) were introduced as the most important sources of information for pediculosis infection, respectively.
Main comparison to the similar studies
... [19-21]. The results of a community-based study by Heukelbach & Ugbomoiko on residents of a Nigerian village showed a very low level of knowledge about transmission methods and treatment in the studied group [22]. On the other hand, Magalhães et al., in their study on primary school children in southeastern Angola, found that 56.7% of the studied students lacked information on head lice infestation [23]. ... [24]. The high level of perceived benefits (85.3%) in students indicates that they consider preventive behaviors against pediculosis Capitis useful and practical. This finding was consistent with the study by Barati et al. [25]. Also, in the study by Sajadi Hazaveh & Shamsi, the mothers had high levels of knowledge about the benefits of adopting proper behaviors in the prevention of seizure caused by fever. It seems that mothers’ fear from seizures and fever in their children is associated with perceived benefits of prevention from seizure [26]. ... [27-31].
Suggestions
Performing educational interventions are suggested to be focused to encourage individuals to observe individual health behaviors in schools and other community centers.
Limitations
This study had some limitations as follows: time-consuming data collection, a small number of pediculosis-based interventional studies, lack of considering pediculosis Capitis as a health priority by schoolchildren and their parents and inappropriate participation by the subjects.
Conclusions
Self-efficacy of students have a significant role in adopting preventive behaviors of head lice.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the staff of the Education Department of Ivan city (principals, teachers and schoolchildren) for their cooperation in performing the research and also the vice-chancellor for research of the Ilam University of Medical Sciences.
Conflict of interest
None declared.
Ethical Permissions
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ilam University of Medical Sciences (Ethics code: ir.medilam.rec.1395.208).
Funding Sources
This research has been supported by the vice-chancellor of Ilam University of Medical Sciences.

TABLES and CHARTS

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