Robust resource hub, outreach campaign help prevent tick bites, reduce spread of tickborne diseases

Tickborne diseases pose a growing public health threat — most notably Lyme disease, which affects nearly half a million Americans annually. Despite this increasing risk, the number of public health entomologists has declined, creating a critical gap in education and prevention efforts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the urgent need for new tools to prevent tick bites and control disease spread. Education and access to timely, science-based prevention tools are critical in reducing the spread and impact of tickborne diseases. 

The University of Rhode Island‘s TickEncounter program promotes tick literacy and bite prevention education through digital media, public events, training programs and partnerships with schools and hospitals. Innovative tools including the following were used to deliver timely, regionally relevant and actionable information: 

• TickFinder forecast map 
• TickSpotters crowdsourced tick ID and response platform 
• QR-coded “Warning Tick Habitat” signs campaign  
• TickTrivia for schools 
• Vinyl stickers with QR codes linking to prevention resources.  

In 2024, the TickEncounter website had 443,381 users. On social media, 40 new tick prevention videos were viewed nearly 1 million times. The TickSpotters tool received 6,959 submissions from across the U.S. and Canada. Survey results demonstrated strong behavioral impact: 97.4% of users reported feeling better prepared for future tick encounters, 71.5% planned to perform daily tick checks and 71.2% planned to walk in the middle of trails to avoid ticks. The “Be Ready for Ticks” initiative distributed 261 Warning Tick Habitat signs across multiple Northeastern states and generated 1,937 visits to its QR code-linked landing page. 

Collaborative partnerships with organizations like Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Native nations and the CDC-funded New England Vector-borne Diseases Center (NEWVEC) amplified the campaign’s reach. These combined efforts helped thousands of individuals identify ticks, understand their risks and take appropriate preventive action, ultimately reducing the burden on both individuals and the public health system. 

Rhode Island Cooperative Extension | Project supported by non-profit grants and contracts; Smith-Lever (3b&c) capacity funds.