Journal Article

The effect of educational intervention on efficacy of 1% permethrin shampoo and 4% dimeticone lotion to treat head lice infestation using propensity score matching (PSM)

Asghari Jajin, Shabnam, Abazari, Malek, Moradi-Asl, Eslam, Saghafipour, Abedin, Taheri-Kharameh, Zahra, Hamta, Amir

2024

Overview

Background Head lice are a main public health problem and the most important human ectoparasites and the use of pediculicides is the most common way to control it. One of the possible causes of treatment failure is the lack of improper application of pediculicide. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of education on efficacy of 1% permethrin or 4% dimeticone lotion to treat head lice infestation. Methods This quasi-experimental study included 100 individuals with head lice infestation from comprehensive urban health centers in Ardabil as the intervention group, and 400 individuals from East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan provinces as the control group, from April to March 2019. The data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and an examination recording sheet, which documented the presence of adult lice or nits. Due to the inability to perform random assignment and control for numerous observed covariates, propensity score matching (PSM) was used. Results The outcome of treatment included elimination of head lice infestation on is 7, and in the case of recurrence, it was considered on days 14 and 30 after treatment. The results showed that the educational intervention program had a significant positive effect on the efficacy of both treatments. The likelihood of improvement was approximately three times greater in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion Participants who received the training intervention (OR = 3.29; CI 95%: 2.21–4.88) were more likely to have a successful treatment than control group. In the case of providing proper training on the use of pediculicides and observing hygiene tips to patients with pediculosis, could help to successful treatment of pediculosis.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Analysis / Animals / Care and treatment / Control / Data collection / Diagnosis / Dimethylpolysiloxanes - pharmacology / Dosage and administration / Ectoparasites / Education / Effectiveness / Health Education / Health facilities / Humans / Hygiene / Identification and classification / Infectious Diseases / Infestation / Insecticides / Insecticides - pharmacology / Insecticides - therapeutic use / Internal Medicine / Intervention / Lice / Lice infestations / Lice Infestations - drug therapy / Matching / Medical Microbiology / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Observational studies / Parasitic diseases / Parasitology / Pediculosis / Pediculus / Permethrin / Permethrin - therapeutic use / Propensity Score / Provinces / Public health / Questionnaires / Risk factors / Shampoos / Statistical analysis / Training / Tropical Medicine / Urban health