Ticks are often brushed off as a seasonal nuisance, but our latest episode of Science by the Slice, "Tick Talk," challenges our assumptions and sheds light on the vital importance of public education. Learn from Dr. Lauri Baker and Cheng-Xian Yang as they share research on public perceptions and behaviors related to ticks and linkages between outdoor activities and tick-borne illness risks, such as meat allergies and Lyme disease. This emphasizes the need for education and preparation, especially for those engaging in activities like hunting or visiting agricultural properties. Moreover, the conversation reveals how the analysis of online searches and social media trends can provide valuable insights into public perception and behavior toward ticks for enhancing risk communication and educating the public on tick prevention.

This episode highlights social science research conducted in partnership with the Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, a CDC-funded Center that works to prevent and control vector-borne disease threats.

Resources:
PIE Center tick project webpage
Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases website

Transcripts available here: https://piecenter.com/media/podcast/#transcript

Are you an educator? The Science by the Slice podcast aims to inform diverse audiences about important issues in agriculture, natural resources, and public health. Check out our learning guides that were created as an educational tool to facilitate discussions related to the topics presented in podcast episodes. Download the learning guides here: https://piecenter.com/media/podcast/learn/

Music "Sequoia" by SalmonLikeTheFish at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/SalmonLikeTheFish/Music_for_the_Sleepy_Traveler/04_-_Sequoia/ Under CC BY license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

The views, information, or opinions expressed by guest speakers on Science by the Slice are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily represent those of the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education or the University of Florida.