| Popis: |
With increasing incidence for the last 30 years, Lyme disease spread by the vector Ixodes scapularis remains a serious public health threat within the United States, particularly in the northeast. Prior studies that evaluated how human knowledge and risk perception affect the uptake of preventive behaviors and willingness to employ various interventions largely focused on hyperendemic regions, thus failing to consider how these dynamics may deviate from both urban centers and emerging areas. This study administered Knowledge Action Practice surveys to residents of Block Island (BI), RI, and Staten Island (SI), NY, two locations that vary both in history of Lyme disease and urban development with the objective of assessing how these additional factors may impact homeowners. A total of 116 knowledge, attitudes and practice surveys were collected from BI (N=59) and SI (N=50) homeowners. Individual knowledge scores were created using a 2-parameter logistic model from Item Response Theory and GLM models were created to assess how demographics and knowledge affect risk perception, how all three impact exhibition of protective behaviors, and how willing residents are to using pesticides at the household level. Homeowners from SI and BI showed disparate knowledge regarding ticks and TBDs, with BI residents showing greater comprehension of the important aspects related to transmission and risk. Despite this, risk perception did not necessarily relate to risk-avoidance behaviors, as the majority of residents in both areas did not regularly display such responses. Effective interventions will need to consider this gap as well as the context in which communities interact with their natural environment, be that at home or in parks. |
