Abstract
BackgroundPerforming a tick check after visiting nature is considered the most important preventive measure to avoid contracting Lyme disease. Checking the body for ticks after visiting nature is the only measure that can fully guarantee whether one has been bitten by a tick and provides the opportunity to remove the tick as soon as possible, thereby greatly reducing the chance of contracting Lyme disease. However, compliance to performing the tick check is low. In addition, most previous studies on determinants of preventive measures to avoid Lyme disease lack a clear definition and/or operationalization of the term “preventive measures”. Those that do distinguish multiple behaviors including the tick check, fail to describe the systematic steps that should be followed in order to perform the tick check effectively. Hence, the purpose of this study was to identify determinants of systematically performing the tick check, based on social cognitive theory.MethodsA cross-sectional self-administered survey questionnaire was filled out online by 508 respondents (Mage = 51.7, SD = 16.0; 50.2% men; 86.4% daily or weekly nature visitors). Bivariate correlations and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify associations between socio-cognitive determinants (i.e. concepts related to humans’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to perform certain behavior), and the tick check, and between socio-cognitive determinants and proximal goal to do the tick check.ResultsThe full regression model explained 28% of the variance in doing the tick check. Results showed that performing the tick check was associated with proximal goal (β = .23, p < 0.01), self-efficacy (β = .22, p < 0.01), self-evaluative outcome expectations (β = .21, p < 0.01), descriptive norm (β = .16, p < 0.01), and experience (β = .13, p < 0.01).ConclusionsOur study is among the first to examine the determinants of systematic performance of the tick check, using an extended version of social cognitive theory to identify determinants. Based on the results, a number of practical recommendations can be made to promote the performance of the tick check.
Highlights
Performing a tick check after visiting nature is considered the most important preventive measure to avoid contracting Lyme disease
Lyme disease, known as Lyme borreliosis, is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. It is primarily transmitted through a bite from a tick that is infected with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria [1]
This study was warranted because a review of existing literature revealed, first, little evidence of the effectiveness of existing interventions; second, mostly studies without a clear definition of the term ‘preventive behaviors to avoid Lyme disease’, or did not concretize which systematic steps should be followed in order to perform a tick check determinants and proximal goal to do the tick check (DV)
Summary
Performing a tick check after visiting nature is considered the most important preventive measure to avoid contracting Lyme disease. Most previous studies on determinants of preventive measures to avoid Lyme disease lack a clear definition and/or operationalization of the term “preventive measures”. Those that do distinguish multiple behaviors including the tick check, fail to describe the systematic steps that should be followed in order to perform the tick check effectively. Lyme disease may cause severe and potentially chronic symptoms such as neurological diseases, joint problems, and heart diseases [2] Both societal and scientific issues call for further research to build effective public health programs to prevent Lyme disease. Various studies show that many people do not take measures to prevent getting bitten by ticks and prevent Lyme disease [6,7,8]
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