pest problems, with 25.5% reporting rodents, 36.4% reporting roaches
and 40.0% reporting ants.
Univariate analysis showed multiple questionnaire variables to significantly
correlate with pyrethroid concentrations (Table 4). The number
of pesticide products in each home, as determined by the pesticide
inventory was found to be a significantly positive correlate of the sum
of pyrethroid concentrations found in the house dust. The reported
use of outdoor pesticide sprays, based on average annual frequency
significantly correlated with increased levels of both the sum of
pyrethroids and cypermethrin. When the use of outdoor pesticide
sprays was split into three categories: no annual use, 1–2 times/year
and more than 3 times/year, significant positive correlations were still
seen with levels of summed pyrethroids and cypermethrin. The reported
amount of roaches present in the home was negatively correlated with
the summed pyrethroid concentrations, as well as the esfenvalerate concentrations
in the house dust. Permethrin concentrations in the house
dust were positively correlated with the reported amount of rodents in
the home.