Attitudes and behavioral outcomes of Nebraska hunters toward tick-borne disease

New threats to public and animal health are emerging as changes in climate, land use, and vegetation alter the landscape of the Great Plains. The annual incidence of tick-borne disease in Nebraska is increasing, and newly established species such as blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and their associated pathogens may present challenges for health practitioners. One Health strategies for tick-borne disease prevention must incorporate effective messaging acknowledging variation in risk perception. We surveyed hunters in Nebraska to determine how the perception of risk for tick-borne disease influenced human behavior, using the Risk Perception Attitude Framework (RPAF) to assess differences in the level of intention to perform preventive behaviors against tick-borne disease among the 283 survey responses we received. We found higher behavioral intent among individuals in the RPAF group with highest perceived risk and self-efficacy. Individuals who found a tick on their body in the past had greater perceived risk toward tick-borne disease (mean risk perception score: 3.26, SD = 0.60) than those who had not (mean: 2.85, SD = 0.63; t = 3.37, df = 282, p < 0.01). Our study suggests that the increased risk of exposure to ticks as species ranges shift will primarily be perceived by local populations when they start to experience ticks. Our results provide valuable information to public health officials on tailoring One Health messaging for more effective prevention of tick-borne disease.