A mixed-methods national study assessing municipal rodent control infrastructure, surveillance capacity and disaster readiness in the United States

This study aimed to characterize municipal rodent control infrastructure, service visibility, planning capacity and workforce readiness across the United States. A mixed-methods cross-sectional design was used, combining an environmental scan of 147 municipal documents with a 31-item online survey administered to pest and environmental health professionals between August 2021 and November 2022. The environmental scan assessed program robustness using a weighted scoring rubric and survey items captured information on service availability, departmental oversight, planning infrastructure and training frequency. Descriptive statistics summarized municipal capacity indicators. A total of 727 U.S.-based professionals completed the survey. Fewer than half (44.5%) reported that their municipality offered rodent control services, and only 45.8% of those familiar with programs knew specific service details. Oversight was distributed across health departments, contracted services, standalone rodent units and public works agencies. Only 36.9% reported the presence of a rodent-borne disease action plan and most respondents indicated that funding for rodent control was not prioritized. Environmental scan scores ranged from 0 to 11, with higher-scoring municipalities demonstrating clearer oversight, active surveillance and integration into preparedness frameworks. Findings indicate substantial variation in municipal rodent control infrastructure, limited program visibility and inconsistent planning and training capacity. These results highlight gaps that may affect municipal disaster readiness and suggest opportunities to strengthen oversight clarity, surveillance systems and workforce development to support more consistent rodent management across jurisdictions.