Clinicians might assess chance and internal health locus of control to identify the women at risk of developing depression during their pregnancy and to develop prevention and treatment plans.

BackgroundPediculosis is a common parasitic infestation in students worldwide, including Iran. This condition is more prevalent in populous and deprived communities with poor personal hygiene. This study sought to assess the efficacy of peer education for adopting preventive behaviors against pediculosis in female elementary school students based on the Health Belief Model (HBM).MethodsA total of 179 female fifth grade students were selected using multistage random sampling and were randomly allocated to control and intervention groups. A standard questionnaire was designed and administered to collect baseline information. An educational intervention was then designed based on the conducted needs assessment. The educational program consisted of three sessions, held by peers for the intervention group. The questionnaire was re-administered one month after the intervention. Independent and paired t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and regression analysis were applied as appropriate.ResultsThe two groups had no significant differences in the scores of knowledge, HBM constructs, or behavior before the intervention. After the intervention, however, the mean scores of all parameters significantly improved in the intervention group.ConclusionPeer education based on HBM is an effective strategy to promote preventive behaviors against pediculosis in among fifth grade female elementary school students in Iran.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to assess the validity and reliability of Form A of Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales in Iran. Health locus of control is one of the most widely measured parameters of health belief for the planning of health education programs.

Clinicians could assess social support and chance HLC to identify and treat women at risk of prenatal depression. By providing support during pregnancy, depression levels in women and its effects on the fetus may be decreased, which could prevent postpartum depression.