Dataset for study of the Role of Exposure and Risk Perceptions in Protective Behaviour Against Tick-Borne Diseases

SND-ID: snd1049-1. Version: 1.0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5878/003014

Citation

Alternative title

Data for: Learning to Live with Ticks? The Role of Exposure and Risk Perceptions in Protective Behaviour Against Tick-Borne Diseases

Creator/Principal investigator(s)

Daniel Slunge - University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics

Research principal

University of Gothenburg - Department of Economics rorId

Description

The purpose of this study is to analyse the role of risk perceptions and exposure for protective behaviour against tick bites and the related diseases Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), both of which are growing health concerns. We use data from a national survey in Sweden with respondents in geographical areas with substantial differences in both abundance of ticks and incidence of LB and TBE. We find that the share of respondents who frequently use protective clothing (64%), perform tick checks (63%) or avoid tall grass while in areas with ticks (48%) is relatively high. However, the use of protective measures is uneven and a considerably lower share tuck their trousers into their socks (18%), use repellent against ticks (16%) or use a combination of protective measures. Thirty-one per cent of the respondents report one or more tick bites in the last year and 68% report one or more lifetime tick bites, indicating that it is difficult to protect oneself from tick bites. There is a strong positive association between exposure and checking the skin for ticks, but exposure

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The purpose of this study is to analyse the role of risk perceptions and exposure for protective behaviour against tick bites and the related diseases Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), both of which are growing health concerns. We use data from a national survey in Sweden with respondents in geographical areas with substantial differences in both abundance of ticks and incidence of LB and TBE. We find that the share of respondents who frequently use protective clothing (64%), perform tick checks (63%) or avoid tall grass while in areas with ticks (48%) is relatively high. However, the use of protective measures is uneven and a considerably lower share tuck their trousers into their socks (18%), use repellent against ticks (16%) or use a combination of protective measures. Thirty-one per cent of the respondents report one or more tick bites in the last year and 68% report one or more lifetime tick bites, indicating that it is difficult to protect oneself from tick bites. There is a strong positive association between exposure and checking the skin for ticks, but exposure is only weakly associated with other protective measures. Tick bites are perceived as a serious health risk by as many as 43% of the respondents. The perception that a single tick bite is serious is negatively associated with actual exposure to ticks, while the opposite is true for the perception that tick bites constitute a serious lifetime health risk. This indicates a learning effect in relation to risk perceptions and the performance of tick checks, but not in relation to other protective measures. Recommendations include informing people of the risks associated with tick bites, the efficacy of various protective measures and the importance of combining multiple types of protection. Given the high exposure to tick bites, the growing incidence of TBE and LB, and the difficulties in preventing tick bites, other preventive measures should be further discussed, including vaccination programmes.

Purpose:

To analyse the role of risk perceptions and exposure for five protective measures against tick bites and the related diseases tick-borne encehalitis (TBE) and Lyme borreliosis (LB).

The dataset contains the variables used in the study "Learning to Live with Ticks? The Role of Exposure and Risk Perceptions in Protective Behavior Against Tick-Borne Diseases", by Slunge and Boman. The questionnaire about Ticks, TBE and Borrelia contains additional questions that are not included in this material. Data is available for download in SPSS and STATA format. Show less..
Method and outcome

Unit of analysis

Time Method

Sampling procedure

Time period(s) investigated

2013-05-01 – 2013-11-30

Variables

69

Number of individuals/objects

1510

Data format / data structure

Data collection
  • Mode of collection: Self-administered questionnaire
  • Time period(s) for data collection: 2013-10-01 – 2013-11-30
  • Data collector: Enkätfabriken
  • Source of the data: Population group
Geographic coverage

Geographic spread

Geographic location: Sweden

Administrative information

Responsible department/unit

Department of Economics

Ethics Review

Gothenburg - Ref. 544-13

Topic and keywords

Research area

Medical and health sciences (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Social sciences (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Economics (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Health (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Natural environment (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Publications

Slunge D, Boman A (2018) Learning to live with ticks? The role of exposure and risk perceptions in protective behaviour against tick-borne diseases. PLoS ONE 13(6): e0198286. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198286
Link to article at PLOS ONE

If you have published anything based on these data, please notify us with a reference to your publication(s). If you are responsible for the catalogue entry, you can update the metadata/data description in DORIS.

Published: 2018-04-23
Last updated: 2024-07-08