Epidemiological Assessment of Head Lice Among Primary School Children in East Duhok, Iraq

Background and Objective: Pediculosis is a common ectoparasitic condition affecting humans, mainly children, globally. The objective of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of head lice infestation and explore the contributing risk factors among primary school children in Duhok City, Iraq. Methodology: Overall, 460 children of age group 6–7 years during the period from October 2023 to March 2024 were collected from 12 schools in the east part of Duhok City. All children were randomly examined for the presence of any stage of Pediculus capitis. The schools were selected using multistage sampling methods. Results: Overall, 6.3% of the schoolchildren were infested. Among females, the prevalence was higher (8.1%) compared to males (3.1%); it was a statistically significant association at (P<0.05). The current study revealed that the prevalence rate of pediculosis among girls was associated with several variables as follows: hair length, hair tying, wearing a head veil, and experiencing itching: 59.6% had long hair and 40.4% had short hair, while 44.3% tied their hair and 55.7% did not. Only 1.5% wore a head veil, and 10.0% reported experiencing itching. Head lice remain a health problem among schoolchildren. Conclusion: The prevalence of pediculosis can be considerably decreased by raising awareness among teachers and family members, providing them with more training, and enhancing personal health standards.