Table 6 Comparison of the Weighted Mean of the Web Survey with the Telephone Survey on Lyme-Disease-Related Variables
Type of variables | Means | t test | Cohen’s d a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Web | Phone | |||
Knowledge of the disease | ||||
• Before responding to this survey, had you ever heard of Lyme disease? (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | 0.89 | 0.92 | −2.05* | − 0.09 |
• Lyme disease is transmitted through tick bites (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.33 | 0.02 |
• The first symptom of Lyme disease is generally a red plaque on the skin (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | 0.89 | 0.90 | − 0.44 | − 0.02 |
Risk perception | ||||
• In your opinion, what is the risk of you contracting Lyme disease in the next year? (1 = Nil to 6 = very high) | 3.17 | 3.00 | 3.55*** | 0.16 |
• Do you believe in the possibility of contracting Lyme disease in your municipality? (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | 0.77 | 0.85 | − 4.25**** | − 0.21† |
Vulnerability | ||||
• If you were to contract Lyme disease, would you say that the consequences for your health would be very serious? (1 = No, not at all, to 4 = Yes, absolutely) | 3.61 | 3.38 | 7.60**** | 0.36† |
Opinions about vaccination | ||||
• If a vaccine against Lyme disease were available, you would get vaccinated. (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree) | 3.19 | 3.09 | 2.25 | 0.11 |
• If a vaccine against Lyme disease were available, you would get your child vaccinated (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree) | 3.19 | 3.03 | 0.66 | 0.10 |
• Vaccines are a danger to your health (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree) | 2.08 | 1.96 | 2.55* | 0.12 |
Theory of planned behavior constructs | ||||
• Attitudes towards the adoption of preventive behaviors | ||||
Adopting behaviors to protect yourself against Lyme disease in the next year will be (1 = very useless to 4 = very useful) | 3.36 | 2.98 | 8.35**** | 0.39† |
• Perceived behavioral control | ||||
It will be easy to protect yourself against Lyme disease in the next year (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree) | 2.97 | 2.78 | 5.46**** | 0.26† |
• Perceived social norms | ||||
If you adopt behaviors to protect yourself against tick bites and therefore Lyme disease in the next year, people who are important to you will support your choice (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree) | 3.53 | 3.31 | 6.67**** | 0.31† |
• Behavioral intentions | ||||
You intend to adopt behaviors to protect yourself against tick bites and Lyme disease in the next year (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree) | 3.20 | 3.13 | 2.19* | 0.10 |
Preventive behaviors | ||||
• Have ever looked into ways to prevent Lyme disease for your physical or mental health? (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | 0.44 | 0.40 | 2.17* | 0.10 |
• Have ever looked into the potential consequences of Lyme disease for your physical or mental health? (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | 0.47 | 0.42 | 2.38* | 0.11 |
• When practicing outdoor activities, do you wear long pants and a long-sleeved sweater? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 3.26 | 3.12 | 2.77** | 0.13 |
• When practicing outdoor activities, do you wear closed shoes? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 4.00 | 3.98 | 0.26 | 0.01 |
• When practicing outdoor activities, do you tuck the bottom of your sweater or of your shirt into your pants? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 2.18 | 2.45 | − 3.92**** | − 0.19 |
• When practicing outdoor activities, do you tuck the bottom of your pants into your socks or boots? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 1.61 | 1.81 | − 3.75*** | − 0.18 |
• When outdoors, do you use a bug repellent (containing DEET, icaridin or picaridin) on your clothes or the exposed parts of your body? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 2.69 | 2.85 | − 2.82 | − 0.13 |
• When practicing outdoor activities, do you walk on cleared paths and trails, avoiding tall grass? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 3.81 | 3.98 | − 3.31*** | − 0.16 |
• When practicing outdoor activities, do you wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to check for ticks? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 2.46 | 2.75 | − 5.45*** | − 0.26† |
• After being outdoors, examine your body for ticks and remove them immediately (1 = never to 5 = always) | 2.23 | 2.29 | − 0.89 | − 0.04 |
• After being outdoors, do you examine your clothes and the items that you had with you to avoid bringing ticks into your home? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 1.78 | 2.03 | − 4.35**** | − 0.21† |
• After being outdoors, do you put your clothes in the dryer for six minutes to eliminate ticks that may be there? (1 = never to 5 = always) | 1.26 | 1.47 | − 4.76**** | − 0.23† |
• Do you regularly mow your lawn or have it mown? (I don’t have a lawn, No, Yes once a week or less, Yes more than once a week | 2.96 | 2.80 | 5.29**** | 0.31† |
• How often do you maintain your lawn, for example pick up dead leaves, weeds, branches or twigs, or have them picked up (other than mowing your lawn)? (Never to more than once a week) | 3.24 | 3.23 | 0.02 | 0.001 |