ARS | Publication request: Effectiveness of the area wide pest management program to control asian tiger mosquito in New Jersey: evidence from a household survey

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 23, 2012
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Households’ behaviors can both mitigate and measure the spread of urban mosquito species. Beginning in 2009, an area-wide pest management (AWPM) project to control Ae. Albopictus was implemented in 6 areas in Monmouth and Mercer counties, NJ. Including other activities, the project focused on increasing residents’ awareness, knowledge, and control measures. Evaluating this impact of this component is important to guide future AWPM programs. The evaluation analyzed household surveys conducted in the baseline year, 2008 (310 households), and second intervention year, 2010 (396 households) in AWPM and control areas. We measured changes in hours and mitigation expenditures (e.g. repellents) from 2008 to 2010 in AWPM areas and compared results with corresponding changes in control areas. The average proportion of potential outdoor hours lost due to mosquitoes in intervention areas decreased (±SEM) from 29.7%±2.6% in 2008 to 24.3%±2.1% in 2010. Findings showed a net improvement of 7.0%±4.3% or an additional 1.89±1.9 hours spent in porch or yard activities due to AWPM. (p=0.10). The share of residents bothered by mosquitoes in AWPM areas decreased from 68.6% in 2008 to 46.0% in 2010, indicating a net reduction in mosquitoes’ nuisance of 11.6% (p=0.11). The percentage of respondents who reported cleaning gutters in the last 12 months increased from 21.2%±3.5% in 2008 to 49.8%±3.4% in the 2010 with a favorable (p=.08) net impact of 9.8%±7.0% of AWPM. The AWPM had favorable net reduction (p=.09) of 7.0%±5.3 in the share of households storing tires and a statistically significant net increase of 20.4%±7.5 in the percentage of households who reported the right numbers of days needed to remove standing water to control mosquitoes (p<.00). So far, the project found no statistically significant impact on money spent on mitigation, adding insecticides, or removal of toys from back yard. Nevertheless, the project has been effective in reducing the nuisance caused by urban mosquitoes and had a favorable impact on knowledge and yard and porch activities.