What are the major obstacles to using IPM for cockroaches?

From p. 215 of Mallis Handbook of Pest Control, 10th ed. in the chapter "Cockroaches:"

"Three major obstacles to the wide acceptance and implementation of IPM in cockroach control can be recognized:

  1. Pest control services contracts often require scheduled visits and application of spray formulations, regardless of pest presence, and are often written to suppress cockroaches rather than eradicate infestations from a structure (Koehler et al. 1997);
  2. An emphasis on rapid pest suppression often results in poor choices of insecticide formulations, and the prominence of this idea has even led to extensive marketing of inferior products, but with "rapid kill;" and
  3. Public—and unfortunately, at times, pest professionals—perception that sprays work best in pest control.

Nevertheless, properly trained pest professional are vital to the implementation of comprehensive cockroach control and allergen avoidance programs. An industry-wide commitment is required to regard cockroach control as a public health need and to reevaluate the intensity and scope of the services pest professionals provide in cockroach-infested homes. Likewise, "in-house" pest control services in inner-city housing will require a major upgrade if the goal of intervention is redefined from reducing nuisance cockroaches to improving residents' health. "