Session Co-Chair

Patricia V. Smith, President, LDA

March 30 & 31, 2011

Arlington, VA

Lyme Disease Association

Promoting Community Integrated Pest Management 

(IPM) to Prevent Tick-Borne Diseases

Session 4

Public Outreach Strategies to Reach Targeted Populations
Lyme Disease Association

 National non profit 501(c)(3), all volunteer

 Mission: 

 Lyme & TBD prevention, education, research 

funding, patient support

 Combined Federal Campaign 2010 

 LDA new website launch June 11, 2010

 cutting edge technology, new resources

 www.LymeDiseaseAssociation.org
LDA is EPA PESP Partner

 Environmental Protection Agency's Pesticide 

Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP)

 effort to reduce risks to pests, in particular, ticks, thereby 

reducing risks to tick-borne diseases.

 The thrust of this partnership with USEPA is to 

educate schools and families on the necessity of 

protection from exposure to ticks which may 

carry disease causing pathogens. This strategy 

includes developing tools to be used in schools 

and developing educational tools for people who 

have access to public lands for outdoor uses, i.e. 

walking, hiking. 
LDA Research $$$ Recipients

 Boston Medical Center

 Brigham & Woman’s

 Columbia University

 Fox Chase Cancer Center

 Jersey Shore Medical Center

 Neurology Research 

Foundation/New York Univ.

 New York Medical College

 NY Psychiatric Institute

 NIH (National Institutes of Health)/ 

NASA

 Rockefeller University

 Science Center University City

 Tulane Regional Primate Center

 University of California, Davis

 University of Medicine & Dentistry, NJ

 University of New Haven

 University of Pennsylvania

 U. of Pennsylvania, Edinboro

 University of Rhode Island

 US Dept. of Agriculture (UDSA)
LDA-funded research published in 

peer review includes these journals

 PLOS One 2010 (2)

 Emerging Infectious 

Diseases July 2008

 Neurology 

 Proceedings of National 

Academy of Science 2004

 Journal of American 

Medical Association 

(JAMA) 

 Journal of Clinical 

Microbiology 2005

 Infection 

 Psychiatric Clinics of North 

America 

 Journal of Psychiatry & 

Clinical Neuroscience (2)

 Infection & Immunity 2006

 Journal of International 

Neuropsychological Soc. 

 JSTBD (2)

 Archives General 

Psychiatry 2009 

 Entomological Society of 

America 

 Journal of Clinical 

Microbiology

 Neurobiology of Disease 

2010

 Journal of Bacteriology 

2011

 Journal of Medical 

Entomology 2010

 Gene 2009
. LDA Umbrella

 Organized LDAnet 

 43 allied organizations: affiliates, chapters, 

coalitions, programs in 25 states & military

 They are separate (except chapters who 

operate as part of LDA) but cooperate with 

LDA on fight against tick-borne diseases
Columbia University

2007

Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center

LDA National 

Spokesperson Mary 

McDonnell, Battlestar 

Galactica Star; C. Ben 

Beard, Chief of VectorBorne Diseases, CDC; 

Jeffrey Lieberman, Chair, 

Dept. of Psychiatry, 

Columbia; Brian Fallon, 

Research Center Director; 

Dr. Lee Goldman 

Executive Vice President 

for Health and Biomedical 

Sciences & Dean of the 

Faculties of Health 

Sciences and Medicine 
LDA Programs

 Nationwide- talks, health fairs, radio, TV

 Using all volunteers

 LDA provides free material

 Info on town water bill

 Public

 Corporations

 Schools

 Officials

 Doctors & other health care providers (12th

scientific conference Oct 1,2 in Philadelphia
Website & Information Line

 LDA has gotten 18M hits/yr on website

 Now has new upgraded site

 Most info can be downloaded free

 Pamphlets mailed for free, other groups 

distribute 

 Approaching 2M printed pieces 

 Free video clips, can order videos

 Information line (for those with no web access)
LDA Presents: Free 

Education Module- Run from Site
LDA Materials & Programs
TickLES & Tick Tackler

 LDA Collaborator with University of Medicine & Dentistry-NJ 

Medical School (UMDNJ) 

 Created a prevention video TickLES (Tick Learning and Education 

for Schools) and interactive video game (Tick Tacklers) 

 for grades 4-8. 

 The video and game will enable children to

 understand what a tick is 

 recognize a tick attachment (bite)

 learn what to do if bitten,

 learn the symptoms of Lyme

 Learn prevention measures.

 Acting under the auspices of an Environmental Protection Agency 

grant

 UMDNJ compiled a team of experts to develop the material and 

make it kid friendly. 

 LDA was a collaborator on the project and is hosting the video and 

game on its website, free to all. 
3 Focus Questions for Session

 What are obstacles you encounter to getting the public 

to adopt tick prevention measures (especially IPM) 

and how do you overcome them? 

 In this era of fiscal constraints, what gives your 

program “bang for the buck”? 

 What does your program offer that advances the 

national fight against tick-borne diseases? 
1. Program Obstacles

 What are obstacles you encounter to getting the public to adopt tick prevention 

measures (especially IPM) and how do you overcome them?

 Program provider must have credibility

 Accountability, transparency

 Public must recognize seriousness of problem

 People don’t think it will happen to them

 Facts: Updated stats, graphics, many child oriented

 Message pointed, concise, direct

 Consistent message (removal time)

 Use of personal stories

 Professionals sharing facts & personal stories

 Set an example (tick remover at school)

 More media coverage-PSA, releases

 Public is looking for natural or less toxic, inexpensive prevention products

 Educate private industry to provide help to homeowners

 Provide monies for research on natural products (nematode research)

 Govt./corporate policies

 E.g. Dark colored clothing for rangers, utility, treated clothing for army. why not others

 Stress practicality can’t tell FL people to wear long clothes ( spray shoes, clothes, use skin products)

 Timely information 

 Don’t wait for published info to catch up to what is happening (see a problem in an area, talk about it)

 Not enough people doing the job of educating (Epidemic spreading faster than resources)

 Deliberate sabotaging of educational efforts due to personal gain (real estate values)

 Socio economic, educational, etc. limitations- people don’t go to events, read 
2. Bang for Buck

 In this era of fiscal constraints, what gives your 

program “bang for the buck”? 

 Partnerships

 Volunteers & many with personal experience, passionate 

about cause, we’re accessible to volunteers, family 

atmosphere, focus on one thing

 Going into community & using its resources, low overhead

 Grassroots-staying at community level, adopt to public needs

 We are invited, adopt program to audience

 Generally free 

 Free printed brochures & handouts available

 Easy access to resources outside organization

 Professionals, don’t charge public

 Getting message out w/o lots of red tape
3. Advances National Fight

 What does your program offer that advances the national fight against tick-borne 

diseases? 

 Materials applicable to east & west coasts, Midwest

 Attract national experts because we are all volunteer, go the extra mile to 

research & find answers from extensive list of experts we consult

 Often use local resources and link to national issue

 Diversity: Work with local, state, & national orgs., colleges & schools, EPA 

 Flexibility: Work locally get stats both from local areas and national

 Give people we work with ability to be creative 

 Gear programs to where everyone can participate, not political, not socioeconomic, focus on seniors, kids, animals, no one excluded

 Adjust to literature & science

 Take local situations and apply them to national level, states feel connected, no 

borders 

 Listen to audience (e.g., some limit WA1 babesia to certain areas), 

 Follow through & sharing of info with partners and others (Ladysmith)

 Provide simple generic info and specific info for areas 

 Website & brochures reasonably up to date 

 Give not take all the time, come to us again

 We provide tools for others to do the programs (educational grants)