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Provider Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Lyme Disease in Arkansas

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Abstract

Lyme disease (LD), a vector-borne disease, causes illness for many individuals in the United States. All of the conditions for the promulgation of LD are present in one Southern state in the United States; yet this state reports lower numbers of LD than adjacent states. The purpose of this study was to determine associations between this Southern state’s primary care providers’ knowledge and attitudes regarding the diagnosis and reporting of LD. A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted via a mailed questionnaire by the Arkansas Department of Health to 2,693 primary care providers. Respondents were 660 primary care providers from all regions of this state. Secondary data were analyzed using descriptive, Chi square, and logistic regression techniques. Analysis results included the following: a correct response rate of 59.1 % for symptom recognition, of 46.2 % for knowledge of recommended testing processes, and of 78.9 % for knowing LD is a reportable disease. These results compared to the expected norm were significant in every area with p values of .000. Specialty, region, and years of practice were found to be confounding influences in a number of assessment areas.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to the Arkansas Department of Health and Dr. Dirk Haselow, State Epidemiologist, who distributed the surveys and allowed for the research through a secondary data use agreement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty MSN Nursing Programs, Western Governors University, 4001 S 700 E #700, Salt Lake City, UT, 84107, USA

    Dana Hill

  2. Infectious Diseases Division, Illinois Department of Public Health, 525 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL, 62761, USA

    Talmage Holmes

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  1. Dana Hill
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  2. Talmage Holmes
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Correspondence to Dana Hill.

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Hill, D., Holmes, T. Provider Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Lyme Disease in Arkansas. J Community Health 40, 339–346 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9940-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9940-9

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