276 - Analysis of Perceived Risks and Benefits of Mosquito Abatement and Personal Protection Strategies in Northeast Communities

We investigated the perceptions and challenges individuals experience when making decisions about mosquito bite prevention through six focus groups and two interviews with individuals living in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York (n=35). Most participants were unfamiliar with public mosquito control services and felt they were not at high risk of exposure to any mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) in their area. Participants across every focus group/interview expressed concerns over ecosystem health and long-term consequences of pesticide use for both larval and adult mosquito control. Notably, many participants commented on the lack of accountability surrounding the use of private pest control to treat properties for mosquitoes, expressing feelings of helplessness to change what they perceived as an overuse of pesticides. The extent of expressed concerns varied by community contexts of tourism and level of urban development. Participants in every focus group/interview referenced a risk assessment that weighed the risk of MBD exposure against the use of chemical control products; in most scenarios, participants were supportive of control actions when the risk of exposure to MBDs was elevated for humans and animals, but otherwise preferred chemical control be avoided and bite prevention be left in the realm of individual responsibility. Overall, participants were supportive of investment of public funds to support mosquito surveillance and control operations. However, participants across several focus groups expressed feelings of distrust that government programs were following best practices and that enhanced communication on decision making could alleviate many of their concerns. Participants felt communication from mosquito control agencies should be widely available, disseminated across multiple venues, and include instructions for the public during spray events, resources for individual bite prevention, and information on control products used (i.e., risks, duration, timing, and active ingredient). This project was supported through the 2023 AMCA Research Fund.