Lyme Disease in New Hampshire: Perceived risk across demographics, ideologies, and counties

• In Event: 2251 - Section on Environmental Sociology Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 5. Environmental Attitudes and Perceptions 1

Abstract

The number of tick-borne Lyme disease cases reported in the Northeastern United States has increased dramatically since 2000. Compared to other states, New Hampshire experienced among the greatest rates of change in Lyme disease cases from infected deer ticks over a 16-year period. Moreover, the relationship between climate change and spread of vector-borne diseases has been well documented by the scientific community (Beard et al. 2016, Ostfeld 2009, Parham and Michael 2010). This study examines the link between public health perceptions and climate change knowledge across physical space. Specifically, this work explores the relationship between perceived threat and actual rates of Lyme disease across New Hampshire, and how political identity shapes these perceptions. Using state survey data collected in August 2018, the author employs mixed effects logistic regression in a multi-level analysis to examine variation across individual and county-level predictors for perceived health risk. Results suggest risk perceptions surrounding Lyme disease are closely linked to climate change knowledge, media consumption, and gender. Political identity also exhibits a surprising trend while highlighting the polarization. And while concern for the vector-borne disease varies across counties, actual rates of the disease do not explain variation in risk perceptions.

Author

• Jessica Bolin, Boston College