Results: Forty studies met the inclusion criteria of this review and entered into
the meta-analysis including 200,306 individuals. Using a random effect model,
the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of head lice infestation among primary
school children was estimated as 1.6% (1.2e2.05), 8.8% (7.6e9.9), and 7.4% (6.6
e8.2) for boys, girls, and all the students, respectively. The infestation rate was
found to be associated with low educational level of parents, long hair, family
size, mother’s job (housewife), father’s job (worker/unemployed), using a
common comb, lack of bathrooms in the house, and a low frequency of bathing.