{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,15]],"date-time":"2026-02-15T15:26:03Z","timestamp":1771169163406,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,31]],"date-time":"2022-01-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1643587200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pediculosis capitis is a current and neglected health issue worldwide. The lack of screening programs contributes to the marginalization of the problem and delays therapeutic measures. Our study aimed to analyze the occurrence of this parasitosis in primary schools in Poland and to determine factors contributing to the persistence of its foci. The research tools were two questionnaires: one for primary school children and the other for school managers. While children answered questions about the epidemiology of pediculosis capitis and expressed their opinion on the hygienic condition of infested persons, the school directors were asked about the occurrence of head lice in schools, preventive measures, and institutions supporting schools in combating the infestation. The survey covered the period 2014\u20132018. Pediculosis capitis was reported in 87.5% of the schools. The greatest number of cases was reported in the group of 6\u20139 year-olds (68%). Among 4970 children, 16.7% had no knowledge of head lice; however, 57.1% wanted to increase their awareness of the problem. Campaigns on lice were conducted mainly as a result of emerging pediculosis capitis cases, and most schools could not rely on institutional support. Screening programs and preventive educational campaigns should be part of pediculosis capitis control in Poland.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11030783","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,1]],"date-time":"2022-02-01T09:59:21Z","timestamp":1643709561000},"page":"783","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Head Lice Infestation in Schoolchildren, in Poland\u2014Is There a Chance for Change?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4527-9012","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Bartosik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwi\u0142\u0142owska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marzena","family":"Janczaruk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"II Chair and Department of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery and Surgical Oncology of the Alimentary Tract, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4684-7245","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zbigniew","family":"Zaj\u0105c","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwi\u0142\u0142owska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1721-5676","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aleksandra","family":"S\u0119dzikowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3604-2558","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Kulisz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwi\u0142\u0142owska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0505-2144","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aneta","family":"Wo\u017aniak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwi\u0142\u0142owska 11, 20-080 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anita","family":"Jasztal-Knia\u017cuk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Regional Chamber of Nurses and Midwives in Lublin, 20-072 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ewa","family":"Kulbaka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andrzej","family":"Tytu\u0142a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Regional Chamber of Nurses and Midwives in Lublin, 20-072 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Donaldson, A.L., Hardstaff, J.L., Harris, J.P., Vivancos, R., and O\u2019Brien, S.J. 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