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Cuadera, Mervin Keith Quisumbing Harrington, Laura C. Greiner Safi, Amelia 2021-09-09T17:37:55Z 2022-06-08T06:00:22Z 2021-05 ProQuest Submission ID: 11187 ProQuest Publication ID: 28494010 https://hdl.handle.net/1813/109651 https://doi.org/10.7298/pr3e-x437 15049393 129 pages Most vector-borne disease cases in the USA are transmitted through the bite of ticks. In the Northeast, tickborne infections are a major public health concern and a source of significant morbidity. Human-centric factors that influence tickborne disease risk include the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of individuals and communities. My study focused on Long Island, New York, a northeast region with high endemicity of ticks and tickborne diseases (TBDs). Through a knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) survey, I identified several knowledge gaps related to Lyme disease treatment, age groups most at risk, and chronic Lyme disease. Knowledge of ticks and tick-borne diseases was positively but very weakly associated with increased use of protective behaviors. Overall, residents were concerned about TBDs. Those with more significant concern for ticks were more likely to pay for private and public tick control. Individuals who saw ticks last summer or have someone in the household diagnosed with a TBD were more likely to pay for private tick control. Those who had a tickborne disease in their household were also more likely to practice tick control and seek medical care overall. Residents who were bitten by ticks before were less likely to seek medical care. Pet owners were more concerned about ticks compared to non-pet owners and practiced more precautionary behaviors. This study will inform future public health campaigns in Long Island to reduce the burden of tickborne diseases in the area. en Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ KAP survey Long Island Lyme disease ticks Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Tickborne Diseases in Long Island, New York dissertation or thesis https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/15049393 application/pdf Entomology Cornell University Master of Science M.S., Entomology https://hdl.handle.net/1813/59810 Publication Cornell Theses and Dissertations Cuadera, Mervin Keith Quisumbing 5893a6ea-7af3-41d7-abc6-04bcd26ab5df open.access open.access <Publication xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/1.1/" id="04fc2a92-6534-4b91-a4a3-3805d13b6841"> <Type xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/vocab/COAR_Publication_Types">http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843</Type> <Language>en</Language> <Title>Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Tickborne Diseases in Long Island, New York</Title> <PublishedIn> <Publication> </Publication> </PublishedIn> <PublicationDate>2021-05</PublicationDate> <DOI>https://doi.org/10.7298/pr3e-x437</DOI> <Authors> <Author> <DisplayName>Cuadera, Mervin Keith Quisumbing</DisplayName> <Affiliation> <OrgUnit> </OrgUnit> </Affiliation> </Author> </Authors> <Editors> </Editors> <Publishers> <Publisher> <OrgUnit /> </Publisher> </Publishers> <License>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/</License> <Keyword>KAP survey</Keyword> <Keyword>Long Island</Keyword> <Keyword>Lyme disease</Keyword> <Keyword>ticks</Keyword> <Abstract>Most vector-borne disease cases in the USA are transmitted through the bite of ticks. In the Northeast, tickborne infections are a major public health concern and a source of significant morbidity. Human-centric factors that influence tickborne disease risk include the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of individuals and communities. My study focused on Long Island, New York, a northeast region with high endemicity of ticks and tickborne diseases (TBDs). Through a knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) survey, I identified several knowledge gaps related to Lyme disease treatment, age groups most at risk, and chronic Lyme disease. Knowledge of ticks and tick-borne diseases was positively but very weakly associated with increased use of protective behaviors. Overall, residents were concerned about TBDs. Those with more significant concern for ticks were more likely to pay for private and public tick control. Individuals who saw ticks last summer or have someone in the household diagnosed with a TBD were more likely to pay for private tick control. Those who had a tickborne disease in their household were also more likely to practice tick control and seek medical care overall. Residents who were bitten by ticks before were less likely to seek medical care. Pet owners were more concerned about ticks compared to non-pet owners and practiced more precautionary behaviors. This study will inform future public health campaigns in Long Island to reduce the burden of tickborne diseases in the area.</Abstract> <Access xmlns="http://purl.org/coar/access_right" > </Access> </Publication>