Award Date

5-15-2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

Environmental and Global Health

First Committee Member

Louisa Messenger

Second Committee Member

Chad Cross

Third Committee Member

Erika Marquez

Fourth Committee Member

Andrew Reyes

Number of Pages

185

Abstract

This cross-sectional study assessed community experiences, perceptions, and willingness to pay for mosquito control among adults in Clark County, Nevada, to inform the potential development of a county-wide mosquito abatement district. An anonymous online survey, available in English and Spanish, was distributed from May to October 2025 through community partners, public postings, and digital outreach. A total of 1,460 adult residents completed the questionnaire, which measured sociodemographic characteristics, mosquito exposure, mosquito-borne disease awareness, avoidance behaviors, support for organized mosquito control, and willingness to pay for a future abatement program. Respondents were generally older, more highly educated, and higher income than the overall county population and reported long-term residency in Clark County. Despite the region’s arid climate, 84.2% reported mosquito bites in or around the home in the past 12 months and 80.2% perceived mosquitoes as at least a moderate neighborhood problem. Awareness of West Nile virus was nearly universal, and respondents reported at least some concern about mosquito-borne disease. Support for establishing a mosquito abatement district was high, with 73.9% very supportive and 18.4% somewhat supportive, and 53.9% indicated willingness to pay $20 annually for a 50% reduction in mosquito populations. Perceived mosquito burden was the strongest predictor of support, with respondents rating mosquitoes as a very big problem being significantly more likely to support a mosquito control program. These findings indicated strong baseline public support and financial willingness to fund a county-wide mosquito abatement district, while underscoring the importance of integrated mosquito management and transparent, community-engaged communication strategies.

Controlled Subject

Mosquitoes--Control; Nevada--Clark County; Community development--Decision making

Disciplines

Environmental Health | Environmental Health and Protection | Public Health

File Format

PDF

File Size

13000 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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Available for download on Saturday, May 15, 2027


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