Honoring and Empowering Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples Through IPM Education and Emergency Preparedness

Abstract

The University of Arizona Public Health IPM Team partnered with tribes in Arizona to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as a solution to reduce pest-related public health threats affecting tribal communities. We responded to the needs of tribes on urgent public health related topics. In partnership with tribal stakeholders, we responded to the COVID-19 crisis. We have connected with hundreds of tribal staff to share important public health resources. We are working with three border tribes in the Arizona-Sonora Region to identify environmental health priorities and training needs related to IPM and vector-borne diseases.

Introduction

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the most effective, economical and sustainable method of managing pests in homes, schools and other community environments. Raising public awareness and implementing routine monitoring are important strategies to prevent public health pests, especially bed bugs, vector pests such as ticks and mosquitoes, and commensal rodents. The goal of the University of Arizona (UA) Public Health IPM Program is to develop and implement priority engaged research and Extension public health programs statewide. The UA Public Health IPM Team partner with professionals and experts within tribal communities in Arizona to promote IPM as a solution to reduce pest-related public health threats affecting tribal communities. We actively engage with tribal communities and respond to the needs of tribes on urgent public health related topics.

Figure 1. Wheel chart of the Public Health IPM Leadership Team.

Program Description

Dr. Lucy Li, Associate in Extension for Public Health IPM, coordinates the Public Health IPM Leadership Team (Figure 1), a multi-disciplinary group of Extension and research faculty at UA. The team includes experts from diverse fields relevant to public health pests and pesticide risk reduction.


The team identified and prioritized four program areas:

  • Vector Control

  • IPM for Tribal Communities

  • IPM in Schools and Housing

  • Food Safety

Figure 2. An example of how our Tribal IPM Extension Program works. ITCA: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., ADHS: Arizona Department of Health Services, ITEP: Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, RCBH: Regional Center for Border Health, Northeastern IPM Center StopPests in Housing Program.


Our Tribal IPM Extension Program is an example of how UA Extension works (Figure 2).

Extension =

Problem-solving, Issue-driven Research

+

Engaged Outreach

With measured outcomes that result in changed behaviors or conditions.


  • Identify problem by engaging stakeholders

  • Develop solutions through applied research & education

  • Assess & measure impacts and changes in client behavior

  • Develop feedback & adjust research & education

Figure 3. Our engagement with tribal communities.

We actively engage with tribal communities.

In 2019, we reached 14 tribes in Arizona (see the “hearts” on the Figure 3), and 13 tribes outside Arizona.

We partnered with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA) to teach: Emergency Preparedness for Outbreaks of Insect and Arthropod Vectors and Communicable Pests. January 29-30, 2020 (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Emergency Preparedness Workshop group photo.

Program Summary

  • We responded to the needs of tribes on urgent public health related topics. Over 249,000 residents in tribal communities benefited from our program on approximately 42,604 square miles of reservation lands.

  • We connected with hundreds of tribal staff to share important public health resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • We are currently working with Cocopah Tribe, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and Tohono O’odham Nation in the Arizona-Sonora Region to identify environmental health priorities and training needs related to IPM and vector-borne diseases.

  • Key collaborators: All partner tribes, ITCA, ADHS, ITEP, RCBH, StopPests in Housing Program (see Figure 2).

Outcomes and Impacts

  • Respondents from 2019 (n=326) indicated up to 75% increase in knowledge of pests and IPM. Tribal collaborators will use IPM information to improve lives and communities.

  • Improved health and well-being of tribal community members by increasing (100%) their awareness and knowledge regarding public health pests, pesticide safety, and IPM practices in their environments.

  • Engaged new underserved stakeholder communities challenged by pest issues who benefit from IPM.

This project is funded by the University of Arizona Extension Strategic Investment Fund. This material is supported by the USDA-NIFA award number 2017-70006-27145 and is within the guidelines of the Border 2020 Program funded by the US EPA and administered by NADB. Any products, services or organizations that are mentioned, shown or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply endorsement by The University of Arizona. Warmest thanks to all our tribal community collaborators.

Shujuan (Lucy) Li, PhD

Associate in Extension, Public Health IPM, Arizona Pest Management Center

Department of Entomology, University of Arizona

Lucyli@email.arizona.edu

Dr. Li coordinates the Public Health IPM Team, a multi-disciplinary group of extension and research faculty in the University of Arizona. The Team has experts from diverse fields relevant to public health pests and pesticide health issues, and the goal of the team is to develop and implement priority engaged research and Extension public health programs statewide. We have identified and prioritized four focus areas: 1) vector control, especially integrated mosquito management; 2) IPM education and outreach for tribal communities; 3) Implementation of IPM in community environments, such as public schools and public housing; and 4) food safety and wildlife.

Lucy’s primary responsibilities include translational research studies focus on IPM, pest ecology and reduced-hazard management of public health pests and related priories, including venomous arthropods, disease vectors (such as rodents, mosquitoes and ticks), and bed bugs. She has extensive experience on IPM outreach, IPM implementation programs and long-term impact assessments in public schools and public housing.


Shujuan (Lucy) Li1, Dawn H. Gouge1, Shaku Nair1, Alfred J. Fournier1, Africa Dorame-Avalos2, Susannah K. Reese3, Maureen Brophy1, Kathleen C. Walker1, Kacey C. Ernst4, Trent Teegerstrom5, Peter C. Ellsworth1

1Department of Entomology, 2Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., 3Northeastern IPM Center StopPests in Housing Program, 4Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, 5Agricultural & Resource Economics & Cooperative Extension.

In This Video

Dr. Shujuan (Lucy) Li talks about the University of Arizona Public Health IPM Program, mainly focus on one of the four identified and prioritized program areas: IPM for Tribal Communities.