PREVALENCE OF HEAD LICE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN

Background: Pediculosis is a common public health problem affecting school children. The objective of this study was to determine the overall prevalence of pediculosis in school children and comparison between sex, age groups, and income groups. Material Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Life Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan from September 2013 to December 2013. A sample of 1320 children aging 05-15 years was collected by convenience sampling from two schools at Samina Town in district D.G. Khan of south Punjab. The presence of louse was determined macroscopically and microscopically. Sex, age groups, income groups, and presence of louse (pediculosis) were variables. All these categorical data were analyzed by number and percentage. Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of difference in proportion for pediculosis between the two groups of sex, three age groups, and three income groups. Alpha value of 0.5 was fixed. Results: Out of 1320 school children, 465 (35.22%) were boys and 855 (64.78%) girls. Out of 1320, 980 (74.24%) were positive for pediculosis. Pediculosis was positive in 272 (20.60%) boys, and 708 (53.64%) girls with higher prevalence in girls (p 0.001). Pediculosis had highest prevalence i.e. 470 (35.60%) in age group of 5-7 years (p 0.001). Pediculosis had highest prevalence i.e. 610 (46.21%) in low income group (p 0.001). Conclusion: Pediculosis is a common public health problem affecting school children. The prevalence is significantly more in girls, lower age group, and lower income group