Investigating the Prevalence of Pediculosis in Elementary Schools in Kohdasht City, Iran, and its Related Factors in 2022: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Pediculosis contamination is one of the important factors in measuring the level of personal health in society and can cause physical, psychological, and social problems in students. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of pediculosis in primary schools of Kohdasht City, Iran, and its related factors in 2022. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. The statistical population consisted of 2600 primary school students studying in schools of Kohdasht City, in 130 clusters of 20 people. The distribution of each cluster among schools was done using a random number table. The questionnaires were completed for 2524 people who participated in this study. The collected data were analyzed by STATA software and standard statistical tests. Findings: The overall prevalence of pediculosis in primary schools of Kohdasht City was 13.20. The highest prevalence was when the father's job was agriculture (P < 0.001), the mother's job was an employee (P < 0.001), the father's education level was graduate and higher (P < 0.001), the mother's education level was diploma (P < 0.001), the household income level was between 5 and 10 million (P = 0.027), and the household size was 8 to 10 people (P < 0.001); this difference in prevalence is statistically significant. The chance of getting pediculosis in students who had infected people around them was equal to 519.87 compared to students who had non-infected people around them (P ≤ 0.001). According to the results, the average incidence of pediculosis in female students who had long hair was higher compared to those who did not have long hair, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.041). Besides, the chance of getting pediculosis in female students who had curly hair was 4.16 times higher compared to female students who had straight hair (P = 0.001). Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, it can be stated that the prevalence of pediculosis in primary schools of Kohdasht City and its related factors in 2022 is still high, and the need to pay attention to it seems necessary. © 2026, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.