Tick encounters: understanding people’s risk

During house visits, we will evaluate the risk in the yards by sampling for ticks and conducting a survey to learn about protective measures people undertake or are willing to implement. We will also evaluate mice and other animal activity in yards that could be transporting ticks, using harmless hair traps and trail cameras. This data will be combined with the data collected in parks and The Tick App to understand how can we better prevent tick exposure and provide custom-made solutions  for Staten Islanders.

Project lead: Pilar Fernandez, PhD, Researcher, Nichar Gregory, PhD, Postdoc, and Michaela Mincone, Graduate Student

a member of the research team dragging for ticks

The transmission of tick-borne diseases to humans depend not only on the density and distribution of ticks but also on human behavior that determine where and how often they become exposed to ticks. On Staten Island, we aim to understand where are people most at risk of finding ticks: the parks, their own yards or a combination of both. To evaluate the risk in the yards, we are sampling ticks during household visits in properties located next to parks, in select high-risk neighborhoods. During these visits, we conduct surveys to understand what people know about ticks and disease and which protective measures they currently undertake or are willing to implement. This data will be combined with the data collected in parks and The Tick App to understand how can we better prevent tick exposure and provide custom-made solutions  for Staten Islanders.