Healthy Neighborhoods Program, Percentage of Dwellings with Mice Observed or Reported at Initial Visit and Revisits by County: 2009 -2014 Funding Cycle

This chart shows the percentage of homes where mice were observed or reported at the initial visit and revisit, by county for the 2009-2014 funding cycle. The chart gives an indication of the ability of the HNP environmental intervention to decrease the prevalence of mice in the home. The HNP pest control intervention involves providing products (such as traps and cleaning supplies) and educating residents about removing harborage and food for pests by storing garbage appropriately, cleaning, and repairing holes that give mice entry into the home. In some cases, the HNP contacts local code enforcement or the landlord.
We can see that the initial visit percentages vary substantially across the across counties, which could reflect differing geography, urban versus rural target areas, and the quality of the housing stock. Except for one county, the homes that were selected for a revisit have a lower percentage with mice homes that had an initial visit, indicating an overall reduction in the percentage of homes with mice after the HNP intervention, although mice were not eradicated from all the homes. Oneida and Cortland Counties show no mice in the revisited homes, which could be an indication of success of the intervention and/or the selection of homes to revisit. For Westchester County, it is possible that the homes that the revisited homes were the worst and, therefore, had a higher percentage. These three counties demonstrate why the comparisons need to be interpreted with caution. Because revisits are a subset of the initial visits, the comparison has limitations. Please read the overview document under the “About” tab for more information on the limitations.