Relationship Between Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices and the Incidence of Pediculosis Capitis Among Female Students of State Junior High School 1 Silimakuta

Background: Head lice infestation, or pediculosis capitis, remains a significant health challenge in public junior high schools, particularly among adolescent female students. This condition causes high morbidity, potentially leading to a decline in academic performance. Close social interaction, the habit of sharing personal items, and poor personal hygiene are the primary contributing factors. Objective: To determine the relationship between the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices and the incidence of pediculosis capitis among female students at State Junior High School 1 Silimakuta. Method: This study employed a quantitative design using a cross-sectional approach. The study population consisted of 186 female students from State Junior High School 1 Silimakuta, selected via simple random sampling. Data collection involved self-administered questionnaires followed by physical hair examination. Results: Chi-square test results revealed a highly significant correlation between the level of knowledge and the risk of pediculosis (p = 0.003, RP = 2.465); attitudes also showed a significant association (p = 0.002, RP = 2.680), as did the aspect of practices (p = 0.001, RP = 2.847). Multivariate analysis confirmed that practices were the most dominant predictor of the occurrence of pediculosis capitis. Conclusion: There is a strong relationship between the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices and the occurrence of pediculosis capitis among the respondents. Among these three variables, the aspect of practice is the most dominant determining factor.