The Diuk-Wasser lab is excited to launch “The Tick App” (GeoQuestion) on Block Island, Rhode Island from June through September 2017!
“The Tick App” is an app-based research study which uses a quantitative methodology known as an ecological momentary assessment (EMA). EMAs are used to gather behavioral data in real-time. Unlike traditional surveys, which ask participants to answer questions at one moment in time, EMAs query participants repeatedly and as a part of their daily routine.
Using the app, we ask residents and visitors questions about their daily activities on Block Island (e.g., hiking, gardening, etc.). Then, at the end of each day, we ask participants to count how many ticks they have found on themselves. Additionally, we are using geotracking technology to understand how participants move around different parts of the island. Data from the study will provide our team with information on which activities and locations on the island lead to the greatest risk of tick exposure.
Future efforts will include combining information from this study with what we know about the ecological dynamics of Lyme disease on Block Island. We will then use modeling techniques to understand how integrated disease control measures may impact human infection rates given the daily activities and movement of residents and visitors on the island.