Understanding Scabies in Religious Boarding School (Pesantren)

Scabies is a skin disease that is still a problem with 200 million cases in 2015 in the world. Reducing the incidence of scabies, the understanding of scabies is essential since knowledge is a factor that will determine behaviour. This study aims to analyse the relationship between scabies and the level of knowledge of students in a religious boarding school. This study was a cross-sectional study with analysis using the Fisher Exact test. The incidence of scabies gathered through physical examination, and the diagnosis of scabies based on the cardinal sign such as diffuse itching presents along with either lesion in two regular spots or itchiness is present in another household member. The student’s level of knowledge accessed using a questionnaire. Results showed that the incidence of scabies was quite high although most of the students have a good level of knowledge. The results show that not only knowledge but behaviour plays a vital role in one's hygiene. It concluded that there was no relationship between the level of knowledge and the incidence of scabies. Keywords—incidence; knowledge; scabies