Research Group in Social and Nutritional Epidemiology, Pharmacoepidemiology and Public Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Spain.
CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain.
Cent Eur J Public Health. 2023 Jun;31(2):144-150. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a7640.
Pediculosis humanus capitis is a worldwide public health concern that affects mostly school-aged children. The aim of this study is to determine the rate of pediculosis and to determine possible risk factors in a group of primary school children in Valencia, Spain; 227 children, 6-7 years old, were selected from 7 schools.
A self-reported questionnaire completed by the parents/guardians about the presence of pediculosis in their children and their knowledge about pediculosis. The results recorded in the questionnaire were analysed by SPSS® software.
30.4% of the children had pediculosis. The results showed significant variation (p < 0.05) in prevalence depending on the following factors: sex, hair length, level of parental education, family size, presence of affected family member in the home, and frequency of hair washing. Less than half of parents/guardians showed an appropriate level of knowledge on pediculosis. Pediculosis remains a health problem in Valencian schoolchildren. The family size and existence of another member with pediculosis were shown to be the main potentiating factors.
Parents are not sufficiently informed about pediculosis and adopt inappropriate practices. There is a need to promote studies with the objective of determining risk factors for pediculosis as well as the need for actions to increase the knowledge of parents and healthcare professionals on this parasitosis to prevent outbreaks in the community, assure correct treatment and maintain effective epidemiological surveillance.
头虱病是一个全球性的公共卫生问题，主要影响学龄儿童。本研究旨在确定西班牙巴伦西亚一组小学生的头虱病发病率，并确定可能的危险因素；从 7 所学校中选择了 227 名 6-7 岁的儿童。
由家长/监护人填写一份关于其子女是否存在头虱病及其对头虱病了解程度的自我报告问卷。问卷中的结果由 SPSS®软件进行分析。
30.4%的儿童患有头虱病。结果表明，患病率存在显著差异（p<0.05），这取决于以下因素：性别、头发长度、父母教育程度、家庭规模、家中是否有受感染的家庭成员以及洗发频率。不到一半的家长/监护人对头虱病有适当的了解。头虱病仍然是巴伦西亚学童的一个健康问题。家庭规模和家中有另一个患有头虱病的成员被证明是主要的促成因素。
家长对头虱病的了解不足，采取了不适当的做法。有必要开展研究，以确定头虱病的危险因素，以及提高家长和医疗保健专业人员对此寄生虫病的认识的必要性，以防止社区爆发、确保正确治疗和保持有效的流行病学监测。
