Why Tick Prevention Varies: How Socio-Economic Factors Affect Lyme Risk

Why do some people consistently prevent tick bites while others don’t? Tick prevention behaviors vary widely across socio-economic groups—affecting real-world risk for Lyme disease.

A study of nearly 2,000 individuals in endemic areas found that prevention strategies differ significantly based on income, education, and exposure risk.

For a broader overview of prevention strategies, see Lyme disease prevention: what works and what doesn’t.

As part of a TickNET collaboration, researchers examined knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to tick-borne disease prevention among people living in endemic areas of Connecticut and Maryland.¹

Among nearly 2,000 individuals surveyed, the most common prevention behaviors included performing tick checks and applying tick control to pets.

Overall, participants reported using the following tick bite prevention methods most of the time or always:

• Pet tick control (83%)
• Tick checks (58%)
• Showering/bathing (42%)
• Insect repellent (31%)
• Chemical (23%) or natural (15%) pesticides on property

These findings highlight a key issue: prevention is not just about knowledge—it depends on habits, risk perception, and daily behavior.

Socio-Economic Differences in Tick Prevention

The authors found that tick prevention behaviors differed across socio-economic levels.

“Those with a higher education level and incomes may choose more expensive options such as property measures, including lawn treatments and landscaping,” writes Niesobecki.

For example, incomes over $100,000 were significantly associated with applying chemical or natural pesticides to property. However, individuals with higher incomes were less likely to practice personal prevention behaviors.

[bctt tweet=”Study finds most pet owners surveyed apply tick control to their pets, but do not apply insect repellent to themselves regularly.” username=”DrDanielCameron”]

Personal Protection Behaviors

Individuals with lower educational levels were more likely to engage in personal protection behaviors, including checking for ticks, showering after outdoor exposure, using insect repellents, and applying pet tick control products.

These behaviors are important for identifying early Lyme disease symptoms and reducing the risk of infection.

Why Do These Differences Exist?

The authors speculated that occupational exposure may play a role. Individuals with lower education levels may be more likely to work outdoors in jobs such as landscaping or yard maintenance, increasing their awareness and use of personal protection measures.

Differences may also reflect varying perceptions about the acceptability and safety of insect repellent use.

Understanding these differences can help guide more targeted public health messaging and improve early diagnosis of Lyme disease by encouraging consistent prevention behaviors across all populations.

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Clinical Perspective

Prevention strategies do not fail uniformly—they fail differently depending on behavior, environment, and perception of risk.

Patients who rely on environmental control alone may underestimate personal risk. Others who perform tick checks inconsistently may miss early exposure.

Recognizing these patterns can help clinicians better guide patients toward more consistent and effective prevention habits.

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Clinical Takeaway

Tick prevention behaviors vary widely—and these differences influence real-world Lyme disease risk.

Because prevention behaviors vary—and may fail—understanding what to do after a tick bite is critical. See what to do after a tick bite.

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Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH
Lyme disease clinician with over 30 years of experience and past president of ILADS.

Symptoms • Testing • Coinfections • Recovery • Pediatric • Prevention