This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1090198106294646v1 34/3/531    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Daltroy, L. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Daltroy, L. H. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Lyme Disease Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Controlled Trial of a Novel Primary Prevention Program for Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Illnesses

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Charlotte Phillips, RN, MPH, CCRC

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Robert Lew, PhD

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Elizabeth Wright, PhD

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Nancy A. Shadick, MD, MPH

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts

Matthew H. Liang, MD, MPH

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, mliang{at}partners.org

Members of the Robert B. Brigham Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Clinical Research Center

To evaluate a theory-based educational program to prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses (TBI), a randomized controlled trial of an educational program was delivered to ferry passengers traveling to an endemic area in southeastern Massachusetts. Rates of TBI and precautionary and tick check behaviors were measured over three summers in 30,164 passengers. There were lower rates of TBI among participants receiving TBI education compared with control participants receiving bicycle safety education (relative risk [RR] = 0.79) and a 60% reduction in risk among those receiving TBI education who visited Nantucket Island for more than 2 weeks compared to control participants (RR = 0.41, 95% confidence intervals = 0.18 to 0.95, p < .038). TBI-educated participants were also significantly more likely to take precautions (use repellent, protective clothing, limit time in tick areas) and check themselves for ticks. The study demonstrates that a theory-based Lyme disease prevention program can increase precautionary behavior and result in a significant reduction in TBI.

Key Words: Lyme disease • primary and secondary prevention • health education • tick-borne illness

This version was published on June 1, 2007

Health Education & Behavior, Vol. 34, No. 3, 531-542 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1090198106294646


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. H. Liang In Memoriam: Lawren H. Daltroy, DrPH (December 23, 1948-September 22, 2003) Health Educ Behav, June 1, 2007; 34(3): 543 - 545. [PDF]