Community Readiness for Improved Indoor Air Quality Deborah Young Director of the Center for Integrated Pest Management Colorado State University

O UR TEAM Susan Tungate, Director of Field Education Program, School of Social Work, Colorado State University Ryan Davis, Insect Diagnostician, Utah State University Kristen Carman, M.S.W. student, School of Social Work, Colorado State University Esther Chapman, M.S.W. student, School of Social Work, Colorado State University Colorado State University

O UTCOMES OF THIS PRESENTATION increase awareness of pests, pest allergens and pesticides as they affect indoor air quality introduce stakeholder interviews as tool to determine community readiness suggest strategies to influence policy and social change Colorado State University

F UNDING U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Colorado State University Utah State University U. S. Department of Agriculture Colorado State University

I NTEGRATED P EST M ANAGEMENT (IPM) a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks Colorado State University

to improve health and safety by reducing exposure to pesticides, pest-related allergens and other environmental agents Colorado State University

Utah State University National Environmental Health Association U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Colorado & Utah Departments of Agriculture Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Utah Department of Health Colorado Department of Education school districts private pest control professionals P ARTNERS Colorado State University

H EALTH RISKS IN SCHOOLS & HOUSING Cockroaches and mouse urine are associated with increased asthma. Wasp stings and black widow spider bites may be life-threatening to susceptible individuals. Children are more susceptible to pesticides and deserve special protection from exposure. Colorado State University

C OMMUNITY R EADINESS M ODEL -- MODIFIED designed to create community-specific and culturally-relevant interventions Colorado State University Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research at CSU

P ROCESS FOR CONDUCTING C OMMUNITY READINESS ASSESSMENT (1) one Identify issue two Define the “community” three Conduct key respondent interviews Colorado State University

P ROCESS FOR CONDUCTING C OMMUNITY READINESS ASSESSMENT (2) four Determine community readiness five Develop strategies six Change! Colorado State University

M ETHODS USED survey of school districts in Colorado and Utah 2. Pilot schools and pest audits 3. Stakeholder interviews 4. Training and education Colorado State University

S URVEY – IDENTIFY ISSUE → what are current pest management practices employed by public school districts in Colorado and Utah? Colorado State University

C OMMON PESTS Colorado State University

T OP REASONS THAT SCHOOLS USE IPM Colorado State University

P ILOT SCHOOLS Colorado State University

S CHOOL AUDITS Common problems Pest vulnerable conditions Pest management practices Colorado State University

S TAKEHOLDERS IN SCHOOLS Custodians and facility managers Teachers Principals/administrators Kitchen/nutrition Grounds Nurses and health aides Pest control professionals Students/parents Colorado State University

S TAKEHOLDERS IN HOUSING Custodians and facility managers Residents Owners/ housing authority Grounds managers Community health workers Pest control professionals Special interest groups Others? Colorado State University

T ELEPHONE INTERVIEWS Ten pest management professionals (PMP) Faculty and staff from six school districts in Colorado and Utah 50+ interviews Colorado State University

I NTERVIEW QUESTIONS – EXAMPLE Colorado State University On a scale of “1” to “5”, with “1” indicating you’ve never heard of Integrated Pest Management and “5” indicating that you know and understand IPM, how familiar are you with IPM?

S TAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS TELL US -- how communication flows or is impeded where decisions are made information and training needs potential obstacles approaches to provide support for integrated pest management Colorado State University

A NALYZE DATA By dimension (A – F) By readiness score (1 – 9) Colorado State University

E ACH QUESTION RELATED TO ONE OR MORE KEY DIMENSIONS A. Current efforts B. Knowledge of efforts C. Support of leadership D. Community climate E. Knowledge of issue/topic F. Resources Colorado State University

1. No awareness 2. Denial/resistance 3. Vague awareness 4. Preplanning 5. Preparation 6. Initiation 7. Stabilization 8. Confirmation/expansion 9. High level of community ownership Nine stages of readiness Colorado State University

S TAGES OF READINESS 3. Vague awareness -- a few community members have heard about local efforts, but know little about them. 4. Preplanning -- some community members have at least heard about local efforts. 5. Preparation -- most community members have at least heard of local efforts. 6. Initiation -- most community members have at least basic knowledge of local efforts.

D ATA ANALYSIS Colorado State University Significant differences among groups By job title and by school district

P EST CONTROL PROFESSIONALS Professionals who have contracts with school districts Very familiar with IPM on a scale of “1” to “5”) Colorado State University

A VERAGE R EADINESS S CORE : PMP No awarenessNo awareness Denial/resistanceVague awarenessVague awareness Preplanning Preparation Initiation Stabilization Confirmation/ expansion High level of community Ownership  Most are aware of IPM but know little about the details.  Perceive that PMPs have greater IPM knowledge than school districts.  PMP community more ready to practice IPM than districts PMPs

P EST CONTROL PROFESSIONALS How knowledgeable is leadership, or those you coordinate with in the school district, with regard to integrated pest management approaches? Colorado State University Zero Pretty illiterate Not very – pulling teeth to teach IPM approaches

S CHOOL DISTRICTS No awarenessNo awareness Denial/resistanceVague awarenessVague awareness Preplanning Preparation Initiation Stabilization Confirmation/ expansion High level of community Ownership  According to PMPs, most school districts are aware of IPM but know little about the details.  PMP community more ready to practice IPM than districts Districts

T O IMPROVE ADOPTION OF IPM Focus education programs on administrators and facility managers Conduct pilot programs to show success Base bid process on approach (and money), not just the bottom line

PMP STRATEGIES Increase educational efforts to clientele; educate housing managers or school districts to allow PMPs to properly do their job Create an urban IPM certification license category Provide more hands-on training for PMPs

C USTODIANS & FACILITY MANAGERS No awarenessNo awareness Denial/resistanceVague awarenessVague awareness Preplanning Preparation Initiation Stabilization Confirmation/ expansion High level of community Ownership  IPM was a somewhat familiar concept to most, but they were “not experts.”  Current effort = 6

S TRATEGIES FOR CUSTODIANS & FACILITY MANAGERS Wide range of expertise – training and education Colo rado State Univ ersit y

N URSES & HEALTH WORKERS No awarenessNo awareness Denial/resistance Vague awarenessVague awareness Preplanning Preparation Initiation Stabilization Confirmation/ expansion High level of community Ownership  Have never heard of IPM. They speculate on what it is, but are not familiar with its implementation.  Knowledge of issue = 2 (denial or resistance)

N URSES / HEALTH STRATEGIES Importance of health and safety Provide training about pests and pesticides Obstacles to implement IPM cost communication government red tape Colorado State University

A DMINISTRATORS / PRINCIPALS No awarenessNo awareness Denial/resistance Vague awareness Preplanning Preparation Initiation Stabilization Confirmation/ expansion High level of community Ownership  Knowledge of issue = 2.73; knowledge of efforts = 3.23  Pest issues are on a need to know basis  Not on their radar

S TRATEGIES FOR ADMINISTRATORS Connect IPM to Academic achievement Economics -- responsibility for public funds Child safety issues Colo rado State Univ ersit y

IMPROVE COMMUNICATION FLOW Colorado State University PRINCIPAL CUSTODIAN DISTRICT NURSE PARENT/STUDENTTEACHERKITCHEN

D ELIVERY o Keep in short o Different message for different audiences o Connect to learning outcomes o Connect to health & safety Colorado State University

U SE MULTIPLE APPROACHES Be sure to include face to face training! Colorado State University

F OR MORE INFORMATION Deborah J. Young, Ph.D. Colorado Center for Integrated Pest Management Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO Colorado State University