Pesticide Use in Homes

Abstract

A face-to-face, on-site survey of 958 households was conducted in North Central Indiana to determine the pattern of pesticide use in homes. Information was sought on the kind and quantities of pesticides used, how they were used (including when and where applications were made), how pest problems were diagnosed, how pesticides were selected, methods of storage and disposal, and respondents' knowledge of beneficial insects and alternative methods of pest control. The majority of the households surveyed (78%) used pesticides. Of the three population sizes surveyed, 89% of those interviewed in small cities used pesticides. The most frequently used active ingredients were pyrethrins (17.0%), propoxur (15.5%), and dichlorvos (14.2%). Aerosol-spray formulations were used most often (58.1%). Representative average amounts of finished product used by each household using insecticide in the survey were 11 oz (ca. 312 g) of 0.25% pyrethrins, 23 0.21-oz (ca. 6-g) ant traps containing 1.0% propoxur, and 0.7 3.5-oz (ca. 99-g) pest strips containing 20% dich1orvos. Extrapolated to the average per adult Indiana resident, this represents 0.08 16-0z (ca. 454-g) cans, 2.5 ant traps, and 0,(07 pest strips, respectively. When obtaining an insecticide, householders relied most often on past experience, but when assistance in making a selection was sought, most often it came from a friend or relative. Ants (33.8%) were the most frequently mentioned target pest. For householders who had experienced no pest problems, sanitation was the reason mentioned most often. When seeking information on diagnosis of their pest problems, only 14% sought help. When help was obtained, 77% of the time it was from a retail salesperson. However, 27% of the residents had hired a professional pest control service at one time or another. Pesticides were applied most frequently (55.4%) in the home by adult females. The kitchen area was not only the area of most frequent application (27%), but also the area where most pesticides were stored (38%). Only 5% of those using pesticides stored them in a locked area. Of those using pesticides, 70% felt the pesticide solved their problem, 82% said they read and followed labd directions, and most people used the trash to dispose of empty containers (90.1%) and unused pesticide (76%). Most householders were aware of nonchernical control measures; 87% had attempted alternative methods, with the fly swatter (87%) and traps (45%) being mentioned most often. Over 72% of those interviewed knew about beneficial insects, with praying mantids (29.7%) and ladybugs (29.5%) being mentioned most frequently. Correlations between pesticide use patterns and age of the interviewee, age of children in the home, income level, education level, presence of pets, and city size are discussed.