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Table 1 Perceptions regarding Lyme disease and preventive measures (n = 362)

From: Study on public perceptions and protective behaviors regarding Lyme disease among the general public in the Netherlands: implications for prevention programs

 

Gender

Age

Education

Employment status

Overall

 

Male (%)

Female (%)

p-Value

18-29 (%)

30-49 (%)

≥50 (%)

p-Value

Low (%)

Middle (%)

High (%)

p-Value

Employed (%)

Unemployed/retired (%)

p-Value

%

n/ntot

Knowledge (5 statements) 2

 4 or 5 correct

31

38

ns

31

35

35

ns

33

35

36

ns

32

38

ns

35

(125/362)

Perceived severity (scale 1-5; not at all – very severe/awful)

Seriousness of LD

                

 score 4-5 (severe/very severe)

93

97

0.047

96

97

94

ns

94

97

93

ns

95

95

ns

95

(344/362)

Severity being diagnosed with LD in the next 12 months

                

 score 4-5 (awful/very awful)

94

97

ns

100

96

94

ns

96

96

95

ns

95

95

ns

95

(345/362)

Perceived vulnerability (scale 1-5; not at all – very susceptible/likely)

Susceptibility to LD

                

 score 4-5 (quite susceptible/very susceptible)

38

34

ns

43

33

36

ns

31

35

44

ns

38

33

ns

36

(130/362)

Likelihood being diagnosed with LD in the next 12 months

                

 score 4-5 (likely/very likely)

4

4

ns

2

4

5

ns

3

7

2

ns

5

3

ns

4

(15/362)

Feelings of concern (scale 1-5; not at all – very worried)

 score 3-5 (a bit worried/worried/very worried)

51

55

ns

37

60

54

0.03

53

55

52

ns

56

50

ns

53

(193/362)

Perceived efficacy (scale 1-5; certainly not – certainly)

 Wear protective clothing (score 4-5)

92

89

ns

78

91

94

0.005

90

91

90

ns

87

95

0.01

90

(327/362)

 Check your skin after being outdoors (score 4-5)

79

87

0.04

88

81

84

ns

82

85

84

ns

82

85

ns

83

(302/362)

Remove tick from your skin (score 4-5)

73

71

ns

73

69

74

ns

68

79

67

ns

72

72

ns

72

(260/362)

 Use insect repellent skin products (score 4-5)

31

37

ns

31

39

31

ns

31

39

31

ns

36

31

ns

34

(123/362)

Perceived self-efficacy (scale 1-5; certainly not – certainly)

 Wear protective clothing (score 4-5)

40

37

ns

35

31

45

0.04

44

33

39

ns

33

47

0.005

39

(140/362)

 Check your skin after being outdoors (score 4-5)

59

69

0.03

69

62

64

ns

67

68

54

ns

63

65

ns

64

(232/362)

 Remove tick from your skin (score 4-5)

77

72

ns

78

71

75

ns

69

77

79

ns

74

75

ns

74

(269/362)

 Use insect repellent skin products (score 4-5)

21

38

<0.001

26

33

29

ns

36

29

21

0.045

28

32

ns

30

(108/362)

Intention (scale 1-5; certainly not – certainly)

 Wear protective clothing (score 4-5)

39

38

ns

24

29

49

<0.001

46

37

30

0.04

28

52

<0.001

38

(139/362)

 Check your skin after being outdoors (score 4-5)

48

58

ns

53

54

52

ns

53

57

47

ns

53

54

ns

53

(192/362)

 Remove tick from your skin (score 4-5)

92

93

ns

88

91

96

ns

93

92

93

ns

91

95

ns

93

(336/362)

 Use insect repellent skin products (score 4-5)

17

27

0.03

20

25

21

ns

26

23

15

ns

22

23

ns

22

(80/362)

Behavior (scale 1-4; never - always)

 Wear protective clothing (score 3-4)

39

36

ns

28

33

43

ns

37

38

36

ns

31

46

0.002

37

(135/362)

 Check your skin after being outdoors (score 3-4)

30

34

ns

39

31

30

ns

27

38

29

ns

32

31

ns

32

(115/362)

 Use insect repellent skin products (score 3-4)

7

6

ns

6

8

5

ns

7

4

8

ns

7

5

ns

6

(22/362)

  1. LD = Lyme Disease; 2 The five statements were: people can get Lyme disease after a tick bite; during the summer, the chance on tick bites is higher compared to the winter; ticks mostly fall out of trees; about 1 in 15 people in the Netherlands are yearly bitten by ticks; using repellent skin products can protect against tick bites.