Project period: 7 26 23-7 25 24PROJECT title: structured decision making in tick and tick-borne disease management in new englandtick and tick-borne disease control and management is carried out by…

The University of Rhode Island (URI) was awarded a $117,696 Cooperative Agreement by the U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey's Research and Data Collection program (CFDA 15.808) to develop frameworks for structured decision-making in tick and tick-borne disease management in New England.

The key products and services to be delivered under this award include:

1. Consolidating scientific knowledge on tick control and management into an accessible database for vector management professionals.
2. Working with these professionals and community partners to develop a general decision-making framework and guide for tick control that can be scaled down to local projects.
3. Implementing this management guide through a case study at a college campus to design and implement local tick control and management programs.

This work aims to facilitate more effective tick control in New England, thereby reducing the burden of tick-borne diseases on the public.

Project period: 7 26 23-7 25 24PROJECT title: structured decision making in tick and tick-borne disease management in new englandtick and tick-borne disease control and management is carried out by a variety of shareholders with unique needs, bases of knowledge, and motivations. The goal of tick management is the reduction of tick bites to reduce the incidence of tick-borne disease. The aim of this study is to develop general frameworks at broad and local scales that can guide tick management in making decisions within existing vector management programs or instituting new programs to reduce therisk of tick bites or tick-borne disease. Propose a three-prong approach. First, consolidating the scientific knowledge into an accessible database for managers will curate the most relevant and up to date evidence around tick control and management to inform decision making. Second, working with vector management professionals and community partners to gather values and priorities, will thoughtfully overlay a general decision-making framework and decisionanalysis on the more specific management framework currently used in the management of primarily mosquito control. The goal is to develop a structured guide to the control and management of ticks that can be readily scaled down to more local projects. Finally, will implement the management guide to work through the design and implementation of tick controland management locally, using the ECO-social-political microcosm of a college campus as a case study. The deliverables of the project include the database of management-relevant scientific evidence, the broad scale management guide, and the modified guide for local implementation. This work is intended to benefit the public by facilitating effective tick control in new england, thus reducing the burden of tick-borne disease.