BedbugimpactsurveyresultsJune2015
Summaryandtrendstomonitorasthedatasetincreasesovertime.
Acoalitionofpartneringinstitutionsdevelopedasurveyforresidentstodeterminetheimpactand
socialcostofdealingwithbedbugs.Thevoluntarysurveytakesabout10minutesandisavailablein
EnglishandSpanish.Thereisnocompensationforparticipation.Werequestedresponsesfrompeople
whocurrentlylivewithbedbugs,peoplewhohavedealtwiththeminthepast,andpeoplelucky
enoughnottohaveexperiencedlivingwithbedbugsatall.
Atotalof408respondentswereobtainedbyJune12015,ofwhich34.1%hadbedbugsathome,15.4%
hadexperiencedbedbugsinthepastand51%hadneverlivedwithbedbugs.
36.2%ofresidentswithbedbugshadpestcontrolexpertsidentifythebedbugs,41.4%identifiedtheir
bedbugsusinginternetorliteratureresources.7.8%reliedonneighborsorfamilymemberstoidentify
thebugs,3.4%askedlandlordsorpropertymanagers.Only3.4%receivedidentificationhelpfrom
extensionoruniversityentomologists,and7.8%wereneversureiftheyactuallyhadbedbugsornot.
67.0%ofresidentscurrentlylivingwithbedbugsreportnoticingbiteswithinthelast6months.11.0%
hadexperiencedbitesforoverayear,and5.9%reportthattheyhavenotnoticedbitesatall.58.3%of
residentsreportswollen,itchybumpsorsores,anadditional12.2%hadsimilarreactionswhichresulted
intheneedformedicalattention.Residentsreportingbitereactionswhonolongerlivewithbedbugs
indicatedsimilarreactionswith55.3%reportingswollen,itchybumpsorsores,anadditional12.8%had
similarreactionswhichresultedintheneedformedicalattention.17.4%indicatedtheyhadnoreaction
tothebites.
Almost50.4%ofresidentswithbedbugshadmovedatleastonceinthelast5years.19.3%hadmoved
2or3timesinthesameperiod,comparedto20.4%ofresidentswhohadhistoricallyhadbedbugsin
thepast.Residentswhohaveneverlivedwithbedbugsreportedalsothat19.0%hadmoved2-3times
inthelast5years.Peoplelivingwithbedbugsmaymovemore.
27.7%ofresidentslivingwithbedbugsstayedinhotels/motelsormedicalfacilities2-3timeseachyear,
15.94%stayedmorethan6timesayear.Residentswhohaveexperiencedbedbugsinthepast
reported38.8%ofresidentstravelingforstays2-3timesayear,and32.7%morethan6timesayear.
Residentswhohadneverexperiencedbedbugsindicated35.1%ofresidentstravelingforstays2-3
timesayear,and21.8%morethan6timesayear.Noclearcorrelation.
30.7%ofresidentswithbedbugsstayedwithfriendsorrelativesmorethan6timesperyear,compared
to37.5%ofresidentswhohadexperiencedbedbugsinthepast,and19.9%ofresidentswhohavenever
experiencedbedbugs.Peoplewithbedbugsstaywithfriendsandfamily.Residentswithnobedbug
historymaystaywithfriendsandfamilylessoften.
28.2%ofresidentswithbedbugshadfriends,familyorstudentscomingtostaymorethan6timesper
year,comparedto38.8%ofresidentswhohadexperiencedbedbugsinthepastand19.0%ofresidents
withnobedbughistory.Residentswithnobedbughistorymayhostvisitorslessoften.
35.6%ofresidentswithbedbugspurchaseusedfurnitureorclothing2ormoretimesperyear,
comparedto37.6%ofresidentswhohaveexperiencedbedbugsinthepastand37.4%ofresidentswith
nobedbughistory.Residentswithbedbugexperiencemayavoidsecondhandarticles.
Residentscurrentlywithbedbugsreportthefollowingqualityoflifeimpacts:85.6%suffersleeploss;
25.4%cannoteatproperly;37.3%cannotfulfilworkdutiesaswellasusual;18.6%cannotparentorcare
fordependentsaswellasusual;80.5%cannotrelax;60.2%reportfinanciallosses;31.4%havelost
personalrelationships;48.3%feelisolatedsocially;25.4%havelostfriendsandfamilyconnections;11%
increasetheiralcoholconsumption;18.6%increasesmoking;5.9%increaseprescriptiondruguse;7.6%
increaserecreationaldruguse;4.2%havelostajob;4.2%havelostahome;16.1%increaseordecrease
bodyweight;28%reportadeclineinhealth;42.4%sufferalossofself-esteem;65.3%havefeelingsof
depression;24.6%sufferincreasesinmentalhealthproblems;66.1%haveconcernsthattheyhave
transferredbedbugstootherhomesorlocations.
Residentswhohavehadexperiencelivingwithbedbugsinthepastreportthefollowingqualityoflife
impactsstillpersistingaftersuccessfulremediation:87%suffersleeploss;13%cannoteatproperly;
19.6%cannotfulfilworkdutiesaswellasusual;8.7%cannotparentorcarefordependentsaswellas
usual;87%cannotrelax;45.7%reportfinanciallosses;17.4%havelostpersonalrelationships;28.3%feel
isolatedsocially;8.7%havelostfriendsandfamilyconnections;6.5%increasetheiralcohol
consumption;6.5%increasesmoking;2.2%increaseprescriptiondruguse;6.5%increaserecreational
druguse;0.0%havelostajob;2.2%havelostahome;4.3%increaseordecreasebodyweight;23.9%
reportadeclineinhealth;19.6%havesufferedalossofself-esteem;41.3%havefeelingsofdepression;
13.0%sufferincreasesinmentalhealthproblems;52.2%haveconcernsthattheytransferredbedbugs
tootherhomesorlocations.
Residentslivingwithbedbugshadusedthefollowingmethodstocombatbedbugs:32.7%applied2-3
retailpesticides;19.2%usedtotalreleasefoggers;37.5%hadapestmanagementcompanyapply
pesticides;9.6%hadapestmanagementcompanyconductaheattreatment;6.7%hadusedabedbug
detectiondogservice;6.7%hadreceivedaprobonotreatmentfromapestcontrolcompany;7.7%had
employedmultiplepestcontrolcompaniestogetridofbedbugs.34.9%ofresidentshadpersonally
appliedchemicalsofsomekind2-3times,22.1%hadappliedchemicalsmorethan8times.25.6%of
residentsreportedusingchemicalssuchasgasolineandcleaningagents.
Residentswhohaveexperiencedbedbugsinthepastreportedthefollowingpestmanagement
practices:26.8%used2-3retailstoreproducts;17.1%usetotalreleasefoggers;58.5%haveapest
managementservicethatappliesapesticideeverymonth;19.5%ofresidentsworkedwithmorethan1
pestcontrolcompanytogetridofthebedbugs.33.3%ofresidentsreportapplyingchemicalsmore
than8timesthemselveswithinayear,and9.1%usednonepesticidechemicalssuchasgasoline.
Residentswithnobedbughistoryreportedthefollowingpestmanagementpractices:10.1%used2-3
retailstoreproducts;1.1%usetotalreleasefoggers;3.2%haveapestmanagementservicethatapplies
apesticideeverymonth;16.9%ofresidentshaveacontractwithapestmanagementcompanywhich
onlyappliedpesticidesiftheyareneeded.Residentswithnohistoryofbedbugsareexposedtoalot
lesspesticide.
33.3%ofresidentswhohasbattledbedbuginthepastsuccessfullyresolvedtheinfestationwithin1-6
months.42.2%indicatedthatremediationtooklessthanamonth.8.9%indicatedremediationtook
overayear,and6.6%indicatedthattheirinfestationwasneverresolvedandtheyvacatedthehome.
76%ofresidentswhohaveexperiencedlivingwithbedbugsinthepastreportthattheymodifiedthe
waytheylivetoavoidbedbugsinthefuture.57.7%ofresidentswithnobedbughistoryreporta
modificationoftheirhabitsinordertoavoidacquiringbedbugs.
Nobedbughistory
Income:0.6%earn$0-10K;1.7%earn$11-19K;2.3%earn$20-29K;6.4%earn$30-39K;14.0%earn$4049K;13.4%earn$50-59K;12.8%earn$60-69K;8.7%earn$70-79K;9.3%earn$80-89K;30.8%earn$90K
orhigher.
Buying,renting,orstayingwithfamily/friends:72.2%homesarebeingpurchasedorareowned;25.6%
ofhomesarebeingrented;1.7%ofrespondersarestayingwithfriendsandfamily;0.6%ofresponders
arelivinginashelter.
Bedbughistory
Income:4.3%earn$0-10K;2.2%earn$11-19K;4.3%earn$20-29K;13.0%earn$30-39K;8.7%earn$4049K;17.4%earn$50-59K;6.5%earn$60-69K;10.9%earn$70-79K;6.5%earn$80-89K;26.1%earn$90K
orhigher.
Buying,renting,orstayingwithfamily/friends:52.1%homesarebeingpurchasedorareowned;41.7%
ofhomesarebeingrented;4.2%ofrespondersarestayingwithfriendsandfamily;2.1%ofresponders
arehomeless.
Currentinfestation
Income:21.0%earn$0-10K;17.0%earn$11-19K;12.0%earn$20-29K;11.0%earn$30-39K;5.0%earn
$40-49K;6.0%earn$50-59K;6.0%earn$60-69K;4.0%earn$70-79K;4.0%earn$80-89K;14.0%earn
$90Korhigher.
Buying,renting,orstayingwithfamily/friends:43.3%homesarebeingpurchasedorareowned;48.1%
ofhomesarebeingrented;4.8%ofrespondersarestayingwithfriendsandfamily;1.9%arehomeless
orliveinshelteredaccommodation;1.0%liveinmedicallyassistedlivingfacilities;1.0%liveintheir
vehicle.