Evaluating the Impacts of Informal Tick and Tickborne Disease Educational Tools on Children

NCT07756606 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 4 other identifiers: 2026-10351U01CK000651Protocol Version 7/31/26CALS | Entomology
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impacts of informal educational tools used by the Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Children aged 6-12 will receive an educational activity about ticks. They will be asked questions before and after the activity and will participate for between 30-60 minutes.

Conditions

Tick Bites

Keywords

education; children; prevention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Tick Education Survey Score

  A survey delivered to children before and after an educational activity about ticks. 7 items scored on a 4-point likert scale. Total possible range of scores from \[7-21\] where higher scores indicate increased understanding about ticks.

  before activity, after activity (up to 60 minutes)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Time Taken to Complete Activity

  up to 60 minutes

• Overall score on post-knowledge survey

  up to 60 minutes

• Participant Engagement (semi-observational)

  up to 60 minutes

Study Arms (1)

Children 6-12 years old

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Tick check mannequin; Other: Ticks on bagel; Other: LEGO Build-a-Tick

Interventions

Tick check mannequin OTHER

Nymphal and adult blacklegged ticks are glued to the mannequins to mimic potential acquisition or attachment sites. At outreach events, participants are invited to perform a thorough tick check on the mannequin. This activity helps participants identify the different life stages of the blacklegged tick and understand the size differences between nymphal and adult ticks. The "tick check" mannequins also wear both light and dark-colored clothing to show how clothing color affects tick detection.

Also known as: educational activity

Children 6-12 years old

Ticks on bagel OTHER

Adult and nymphal blacklegged ticks are glued to an "everything" bagel. The bagel is covered in sesame and poppy seeds, which is the comparison commonly used to describe the size of adult and nymphal blacklegged ticks, respectively. Participants are then invited to search the bagel for ticks. The activity demonstrates the size differences between the adult and nymphal life stages and the proper search image for finding nymphs during a tick check.

Also known as: educational activity

Children 6-12 years old

LEGO Build-a-Tick OTHER

The LEGO tick is an activity that leverages play-based learning to increase awareness of ticks and tick-borne diseases, and it has the potential to significantly enhance our educational efforts by increasing engagement. This Build-a-Tick Kit is comprised of 83 LEGO bricks and offers a hands-on learning experience with multiple learning outcomes. Participants learn about the various morphological parts of a blacklegged tick during the building experience, such as the mouth parts and their function in disease transmission, the number of legs, and the body shapes and colors for an adult blacklegged tick. Additional information on ticks and tick-borne diseases is incorporated into the building instructions included in the Build-a-Tick Kit.

Also known as: educational activity

Children 6-12 years old

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• children aged 6-12 years old

You may not qualify if:

• less than 6 years old or greater than 12 years old

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, Madison: lead
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Outreach Sites

Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

Location

Related Links

• Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tick Bites

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Bites and Stings; Poisoning; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Wounds and Injuries

Study Officials

• Susan Paskewitz, PhD

  University of Wisconsin, Madison

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Cassie Halvorsen

CONTACT

608-265-4741; chalvorsen2@wisc.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 6, 2026
• First Posted: August 10, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: August 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)