Survey Finds Americans Unaware of Link

Between Asthma and Pests

 

Survey Findings Released as Part of National Pest Management Month

 

June 1, 2002 - Washington, D.C. - Despite the fact that researchers have directly linked exposure to mouse and cockroach allergens to increasing rates of asthma in inner city children, a new consumer survey finds that half of those surveyed actually believe that asthma is the disease least associated with exposure to pests.

The consumer survey, conducted for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) in conjunction with recognition of June as National Pest Management Month, found that people are much more likely to equate pest exposure with such diseases as Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and bubonic plague.

"The real irony here is that cockroaches and mice are much more common in most areas than the mosquitoes and ticks responsible for West Nile virus and Lyme disease," says Jim Dye, President of Border Pest Control, Inc.  "The publicity surrounding those illnesses has generated a lot of awareness and concern among the public, yet the impact from mouse and cockroach allergens on asthma has gone largely unnoticed."

According to allergy experts, nearly 17 million Americans suffer from asthma, with five million of these sufferers under the age of 18.  Asthma represents the most common chronic childhood disease.

The survey also found that among those polled, more than 50% would seek help from a pest management professional to help get rid of cockroaches in their homes while only 34% said they would turn to a pest professional for mice.  Over 60% of respondents said they would try to "do it themselves" to eliminate a mouse infestation.

"These findings are important because they suggest that while people recognize the health threat from cockroaches, they tend to view mice as just a nuisance," says Dye.  "The truth is mice and their droppings can cause serious problems for people suffering from asthma, especially children.  That's why it's important to have a professional resolve the problem - trained pest professionals know how to find the mice, eliminate the infestation, and minimize the pest allergens left behind."

Roper Starch Worldwide conducted the random telephone survey of 1,000 adults in the U.S. for NPMA in early April.  For more information about pests and pest management, contact the New Mexico Pest Management Association at 1-800-819-2711, their website at www.nmpma.org or visit National Pest Mgmt Association's website, www.pestworld.org.