Using interviews to improve implementation of IPM in schools

Deborah YoungCenter for Integrated Pest ManagementColorado State University

•Our team• Susan Tungate, Director of Field Education Program, School of Social Work, Colorado State University

• Ryan Davis, Insect Diagnostician, Utah State University

• Kristen Carman, M.S.W. student, School of Social Work, Colorado State University

• Esther Chapman, M.S.W. student, School of Social Work, Colorado State University

Colorado State University

•Funding• U. S. Environmental Protection Agency• Colorado State University• Utah State University• U. S. Department of Agriculture

Colorado State University

•Partners • Colorado and Utah State Universities• National Environmental Health Association • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Colorado & Utah Departments of Agriculture• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Utah Department of Health

• Colorado Department of Education• school districts• private pest control professionals

•Objectives

Understand the skills and knowledge of IPM by school personnel

1. Use stakeholder interviews as a tool to determine community readiness

2.

•Community Readiness Model -- modified

• designed to create community-specific and culturally-relevant interventions

Colorado State University

Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research at CSU

•Community Readiness Assessment (1)

one•Identify issue

two•Define the “community”

three• Conduct key

respondent interviews

•Community Readiness Assessment (2)

four•Determine community readiness

five•Develop strategies

six• Change!

• Five school districts (three in Colorado and two in Utah)

• Ten questions• One-on-one phone interviews with key staff who are directly connected with the human and environmental health of the school

•Methods

•Stakeholders• Custodians and facility managers• Teachers• Principals/administrators• Kitchen/nutrition• Grounds• Nurses • PCO’s • Students/parents

Colorado State University

•Interviews tell us --• how communication flows or is impeded

• where decisions are made• information and training needs

• potential obstacles • approaches to provide support for integrated pest management

Colorado State University

•Each question related to one or more key dimensions

A. Current efforts

B. Knowledge of efforts

C. Support of

leadershipD.

Community climate

E. Knowledge

of issue/topic

F. Resources

• 2. On a scale of “1” to “5”, with “1” indicating you’ve never heard of Integrated Pest Management and “5” indicating that you know and understand IPM, how familiar are you with IPM?

(a) Related to dimension “B. knowledge of efforts” (b) Scored for stage of readiness (1 - 9)

• Interview questions – example

1. No awareness2. Denial/resistance3. Vague awareness

4. Preplanning5. Preparation

6. Initiation

7. Stabilization8.

Confirmation/expansion

9. High level of community ownership

Nine stages of readiness

• Responses were analyzed based on • job title • school district

•Significant differences among groups• Designed strategies to target each group

•Results

•Administrators/principalsDIMENSION AVE SCOREA. Current efforts in pest management

6.5 – Initiation & stabilization

B. Knowledge of IPM efforts

3.23 – Vague awareness

C. Support of leadership

4.62 – Preplanning & Preparation

D. Climate 3.19 – Vague awareness

E. Knowledge of issue

2.73 – Denial/resistance & Vague awareness

F. Resources 5.53 – Preparation & Initiation

•Administrators/principals

• Knowledge of issue = 2.73

Colorado State University

1. no awareness

2. vague awareness

3. denial/ resistance

•Strategies for principals

• Connect IPM to • Academic achievement• Responsibility for public funds• Child safety issues

Colorado State University

•Teachers• Knowledge of issue = 2.81

Colorado State University

1. no awareness

2. denial/resistance3. vague awareness

•Strategies for teachers• Need buy-in of principals• Connect to science standards

•Curriculum

Colorado State University

•Custodians & facility managers

• Current effort = 6

Colorado State University

5. preparation

6. initiation7. stabilization

•Strategies for custodians & facility managers

• Wide range of expertise – training and education

Colorado State University

• IMPROVE COMMUNICATION FLOW

PRINCIPAL

CUSTODIAN

DISTRICT

NURSE

PARENT/STUDENT

TEACHER

KITCHEN

Colorado State University

Questions?

deborah.young@colostate.edu http://ipm.agsci.colostate.edu/ 970-491-1377

Deborah J. Young, Ph.D.Colorado Center for Integrated Pest

ManagementColorado State University

Fort Collins, CO 80523-1177