Table 2 Number and proportion of respondents with knowledge, risk factors, attitudes, and practices regarding Lyme disease. Proportions reported are for column totals
All responses n (%) | KS ≥ 3 n (%) | KS < 3 n (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Total | 2018 (100) | 1211 (100) | 807 (100) |
High Lyme disease knowledge score (KS ≥ 3) | 1211 (60) | ||
Transmitted by: tick bite | 1710 (85) | 1185 (98) | 525 (65) |
Best way to remove tick: pull with tweezers/forceps/other tool | 1449 (72) | 1109 (92) | 340 (42) |
First symptom(s): headache/fever/lethargy/reddish rash | 1341 (66) | 1117 (92) | 224 (28) |
Detected quickly, Lyme can be treated by: antibiotic tablets | 916 (45) | 833 (69) | 83 (10) |
Lyme disease attitudes1,3 | |||
Feel at high or medium risk | 789 (43) | 543 (45) | 246 (30) |
Lyme disease is very serious | 1885 (94) | 1183 (98) | 702 (87) |
Easy to protect myself from Lyme disease | 1316 (66) | 881 (73) | 435 (54) |
There are great scientific uncertainties about Lyme disease | 1081 (54) | 706 (58) | 375 (46) |
Worry about contracting Lyme disease | 1082 (54) | 713 (59) | 369 (46) |
Personal protective measures2 | |||
Seek and remove ticks after stay in forested area3 | 833 (60) | 583 (48) | 250 (31) |
Wearing long clothes (including tucking pants into socks)3 | 1171 (66) | 775 (64) | 396 (49) |
Use insect repellants with DEET or Icaridin3 | 972 (53) | 636 (53) | 336 (42) |
Wear clothing treated with insecticides3 | 222 (13) | 117 (10) | 105 (13) |
Avoid woodlands during spring-to-fall risk period3 | 737 (41) | 451 (37) | 286 (35) |
Use pesticides on my property3 | 153 (9) | 77 (6) | 86 (11) |
Mow lawn regularly on my property3 | 1281 (81) | 852 (70) | 429 (53) |
High personal practices score (PS ≥ 5) | 275 (14) | 165 (14) | 110 (14) |
Exposure risk factors3 | |||
Have access to outdoor yard (not responsible for maintenance) | 436 (22) | 226 (19) | 210 (26) |
Have access to outdoor yard (responsible for maintenance) | 1315 (66) | 883 (73) | 432 (54) |
Visited woodlands May-October | |||
More than 25 times | 351 (17) | 255 (21) | 96 (12) |
Between 11 and 24 times | 312 (16) | 205 (17) | 107 (13) |
Between 1 and 10 times | 932 (46) | 535 (44) | 397 (49) |
Never | 415 (21) | 213 (18) | 202 (25) |
Frequently travel to high-risk location | 1314 (65) | 825 (68) | 489 (61) |
Exposure index (high or medium) | 565 (28) | 392 (32) | 173 (21) |
Any travel to high-risk location(s) | 1394 (69) | 878 (73) | 516 (64) |
Travel 5 km or less to visit wooded areas May-October | 698 (35) | 445 (37) | 253 (31) |
Travel > 10 km to visit wooded areas May-October | 541 (27) | 350 (29) | 191 (24) |
Duration of activities in wooded areas typically ≥ 4 h | 256 (13) | 144 (12) | 112 (14) |
Walk on trails/cleared paths during activities in wooded areas2 | 1294 (64) | 834 (69) | 460 (57) |
Primary reason for visits to wooded areas in May-October | |||
Work | 52 (3) | 26 (2) | 26 (3) |
Recreation | 1136 (56) | 717 (59) | 419 (52) |
Birdwatching | 153 (8) | 84 (7) | 69 (9) |
Dog walking | 337 (17) | 205 (17) | 132 (16) |
Camping | 117 (6) | 76 (6) | 41 (5) |
Hunting | 19 (1) | 9 (1) | 10 (1) |
Cottage | 167 (8) | 112 (10) | 55 (7) |
Own a dog3 | 514 (25) | 325 (27) | 189 (23) |
Personal history with ticks and Lyme disease3 | |||
Ever had Lyme disease (self-reported) | 74 (4) | 38 (3) | 36 (4) |
Diagnosed with Lyme disease by doctor, specialist, naturopath, or private lab testing4 | 23 (1) | 12 (1) | 11 (1) |
Know someone who has had Lyme disease | 531 (26) | 405 (33) | 126 (16) |
Ever bitten by a tick | 251 (12) | 169 (14) | 82 (10) |