Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Access Control
Open Access
Embargo Period
5-11-2015
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Public Health Nurse Leader
Year Degree Awarded
2015
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
Lyme disease, tick borne illness
Advisor
Karen Kalmakis
DNP Project Chair
Karen Kalmakis
DNP Project Member Name
Emma Dundon
DNP Project Outside Member Name
Deirdre Arvidson
Abstract
Diagnoses of Lyme disease (LD) in Massachusetts have been on the rise in recent years, with one of the highest incidence rates in young school-age children. LD diagnoses may impact the short and long term health of children, as well as their economic, educational, and social well-being. Review of the literature indicates that educational interventions on LD have effectively increased preventative knowledge of LD in children and their parents. These educational interventions include instruction regarding protective practices such as tick checks, wearing protective clothing, and use of repellants, as well as tick ecology education. The purpose of the educational intervention described in this paper, was to prevent infection of LD by increasing knowledge of the disease, including preventive measures, among young children and their parents. The educational intervention involved teaching LD prevention to children in the classroom, and teaching parents through educational packets. The LD program was evaluated using a pre-test post-test program evaluation design. The theoretical framework chosen to support this educational intervention was the Health Belief Model. Results of the program were that the educational intervention for children regarding tick ecology and protective practices, increased preventative knowledge of LD in children as young as five.
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