Abstract

Aims: Despite progress in health and medical education, a head lice infestation is a common public health problem, the most prevalent problem in elementary school children. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the educational intervention on adopting preventive behavior against head lice infestation among girl elementary school students. Materials & Methods: This study was semi-experimental research on elementary school girls in Eyvan, Ilam, Iran, in 2018. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire and checklist behavior. Two girls' elementary schools were randomly selected from public elementary schools and randomly allocated to the intervention (N=95) and control (N=62) groups. The educational intervention was designed and implemented based on the health belief model in five 30-minutes sessions for the intervention group. One month after the intervention, the students in both groups were evaluated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software via T-test, Chi-square, correlation, and regression. Findings: The results revealed significant differences in scores of knowledge, HBM constructs, and preventive behaviors in the intervention group after the intervention compared to before the intervention (p<0.05). Self-efficacy was a significant predictor for preventive behaviors of head lice (B= 0.547; p<0.001). Conclusions: The HBM-based health education improves students' HBM variables and preventive behaviors. © 2021, the Authors.