Analysis of mosquito control agency public education programs in the United States.

Mosquito control is an important element of public health maintenance in the United States. Mosquito control agencies in this country have embraced the concept of Integrated Mosquito Control for the last decade or more. This concept ideally integrates the elements of chemical control, biological control and physical control, augmented by a planned public education program, into the total operational mosquito control program. Public education is the activity of routinely providing mosquito control information to the public-at-large, so that breeding sources on private properties can be reduced or eliminated. Public education appears to be highly regarded by the vast majority of American mosquito control workers. Despite this, it is not used as extensively by most mosquito control agencies as the more traditional chemical, biological and physical control methods. This study indicates that only a very small portion of the budgets of this country's mosquito control agencies is allocated to public education activities.