The First Annual The First Annual Blacksville Community Blacksville Community

Health FairHealth Fair

Larissa J. Fordyce, Events CoordinatorLarissa J. Fordyce, Events Coordinator

West Virginia University School of West Virginia University School of Medicine Medicine

Family Medicine Interest GroupFamily Medicine Interest Group

July 28, 2005July 28, 2005

WVU School of WVU School of Medicine FMIGMedicine FMIG

Our organization includes mostly Our organization includes mostly first and second year medical first and second year medical students, while third and fourth year students, while third and fourth year students participate as their students participate as their schedules permit.schedules permit.

We meet monthly, usually during We meet monthly, usually during lunch, to discuss issues pertinent to lunch, to discuss issues pertinent to the field of family medicine and the field of family medicine and often invite guest speakers.often invite guest speakers.

WVU School of WVU School of Medicine FMIGMedicine FMIG

A senior member of the Family Medicine A senior member of the Family Medicine faculty, Dr. David Deci, serves as our faculty, Dr. David Deci, serves as our advisor.advisor.

We have separate monthly meetings for We have separate monthly meetings for officers to plan and organize upcoming officers to plan and organize upcoming events.events.

Other events have included a ski trip with Other events have included a ski trip with emergency first aid training and a emergency first aid training and a Valentine’s Day dessert meeting for Valentine’s Day dessert meeting for couples to discuss relationships in couples to discuss relationships in medicine.medicine.

Our IdeaOur Idea

We decided early in the year to We decided early in the year to host a health fair in an host a health fair in an underserved community.underserved community.

I suggested my home town of I suggested my home town of Blacksville, which is Blacksville, which is approximately 35 miles west of approximately 35 miles west of the city of Morgantown, where the city of Morgantown, where our school is located.our school is located.

Our State…My HomeOur State…My Home

The Town of The Town of BlacksvilleBlacksville

Blacksville is a small coal mining Blacksville is a small coal mining community with a population of community with a population of 400. 400.

Blacksville has a community health Blacksville has a community health center in the heart of town, but center in the heart of town, but like most rural communities, is like most rural communities, is highly susceptible to obesity, highly susceptible to obesity, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.hypertension, diabetes and cancer.

Organizing the EventOrganizing the Event

The Clay-Battelle Community Senior The Clay-Battelle Community Senior Center was reserved for the event.Center was reserved for the event.

We decided to focus on the issues of We decided to focus on the issues of hypertension, glaucoma, cancer and hypertension, glaucoma, cancer and diabetes.diabetes.

Students were trained to screen for Students were trained to screen for glaucoma and equipment was glaucoma and equipment was borrowed from a school organization borrowed from a school organization named Sight Savers.named Sight Savers.

Organizing the EventOrganizing the Event

Students were trained to administer Students were trained to administer proper blood glucose testing.proper blood glucose testing.

The American Cancer Society was The American Cancer Society was contacted. They loaned us materials contacted. They loaned us materials and donated literature.and donated literature.

A local organization, Dining with A local organization, Dining with Diabetics, donated literature and Diabetics, donated literature and loaned us diabetic recipes. The loaned us diabetic recipes. The organization offers cooking classes for organization offers cooking classes for people with diabetes and their families.people with diabetes and their families.

Organizing the EventOrganizing the Event

A local business donated a banner, A local business donated a banner, which was displayed at the Senior which was displayed at the Senior Center a few days before the fair.Center a few days before the fair.

Flyers were distributed throughout Flyers were distributed throughout the community of Blacksville.the community of Blacksville.

Announcements were made in the Announcements were made in the local newspaper and on local radio local newspaper and on local radio stations.stations.

Student VolunteersStudent Volunteers

On November 7On November 7thth, , 2004, student 2004, student volunteers gathered volunteers gathered to participate in the to participate in the health fair.health fair.

Volunteers received Volunteers received hour for hour hour for hour community service community service to count toward our to count toward our school’s school’s requirement of 100 requirement of 100 hours.hours.

Blood Pressure Blood Pressure ReadingReading

As visitors As visitors arrived, they arrived, they were led through were led through the various the various stations, starting stations, starting with blood with blood pressure pressure screening.screening.

Blood Pressure Blood Pressure ReadingReading

They were given a card with their They were given a card with their reading, along with guidelines from reading, along with guidelines from the American Heart Association for the American Heart Association for appropriate blood pressure.appropriate blood pressure.

Literature with information Literature with information regarding lifestyle modifications regarding lifestyle modifications such as nutrition, salt intake and such as nutrition, salt intake and exercise was also offered.exercise was also offered.

Glaucoma ScreeningGlaucoma Screening

Trained students Trained students administered administered testing to visitors testing to visitors and gave them and gave them their reading.their reading.

People at risk for People at risk for glaucoma were glaucoma were advised to seek advised to seek further medical further medical attention.attention.

Blood Glucose Blood Glucose MonitoringMonitoring

Trained students Trained students administered the administered the blood glucose blood glucose tests.tests.

Visitors were given Visitors were given their reading along their reading along with appropriate with appropriate guidelines and guidelines and information for information for lifestyle lifestyle modifications. modifications.

Blood Glucose Blood Glucose MonitoringMonitoring

Dr. Deci was Dr. Deci was available for available for medical advice and medical advice and to answer any to answer any questions from our questions from our visitors.visitors.

If possible problems If possible problems were discovered, were discovered, guests were advised guests were advised to see their to see their physician.physician.

Cancer InformationCancer Information

As November was As November was Smoking Smoking Cessation month, Cessation month, we decided to we decided to showcase the showcase the effects of smoking effects of smoking on normal lungs on normal lungs by displaying an by displaying an artificial lung artificial lung machine from the machine from the American Cancer American Cancer Society.Society.

Cancer InformationCancer Information

We offered We offered information information about smoking about smoking cessation as well.cessation as well.

There were also There were also display models of display models of prostate, colon prostate, colon and cervical and cervical cancer.cancer.

Cancer InformationCancer Information

Information Information distributed distributed included included warning signs, warning signs, screening tests screening tests for early for early detection, and detection, and cancer cancer prevention.prevention.

Diabetic Recipe Diabetic Recipe TastingTasting

Students donated Students donated and prepared and prepared diabetic recipes diabetic recipes to allow diabetics to allow diabetics and their families and their families to try delicious to try delicious food that is food that is appropriate for a appropriate for a low carbohydrate low carbohydrate diet.diet.

Diabetic Recipe Diabetic Recipe TastingTasting

Visitors were also Visitors were also given the given the opportunity to sign opportunity to sign up for the free up for the free cooking classes cooking classes with the Dining with with the Dining with Diabetes Diabetes organization and organization and were given free were given free pamphlet pamphlet information.information.

Local Health ResourcesLocal Health Resources

A representative A representative from the local from the local health clinic in health clinic in Blacksville also Blacksville also volunteered at volunteered at the health fair the health fair and distributed and distributed information to information to the guests.the guests.

Positive OutcomesPositive Outcomes

More than 25 members of the More than 25 members of the community came together in the community came together in the common interest of improving their common interest of improving their health and health awareness.health and health awareness.

Students were given the opportunity Students were given the opportunity to reach out to an underserved to reach out to an underserved community and make an impact on community and make an impact on its members health and well being.its members health and well being.

Positive OutcomesPositive Outcomes

Two individuals were identified Two individuals were identified with unknown existing elevated with unknown existing elevated blood pressure.blood pressure.

Several others were referred for Several others were referred for better existing diabetes control. better existing diabetes control.

Enormous amounts of information Enormous amounts of information about hypertension, diabetes, about hypertension, diabetes, glaucoma and cancer was glaucoma and cancer was distributed.distributed.

Ideas for the FutureIdeas for the Future

Make the Blacksville Community Make the Blacksville Community Health Fair a yearly event.Health Fair a yearly event.

Focus on advertisement and Focus on advertisement and awareness to promote the growth awareness to promote the growth and expansion of the health fair.and expansion of the health fair.

Continue to reach out to Continue to reach out to underserved communities.underserved communities.

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Dr. David Deci, Faculty Advisor, WVU Dr. David Deci, Faculty Advisor, WVU School of Medicine FMIGSchool of Medicine FMIG

Members of FMIG at WVUSOM and other Members of FMIG at WVUSOM and other volunteersvolunteers

The American Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society Sight SaversSight Savers Dining with DiabetesDining with Diabetes The Clay-Battelle Area Senior CenterThe Clay-Battelle Area Senior Center Dr. Janice Morris and the Clay-Battelle Dr. Janice Morris and the Clay-Battelle

ClinicClinic The Community of BlacksvilleThe Community of Blacksville

Contact MeContact Me

For more information, feel free to For more information, feel free to email me at email me at lfordyce@mix.wvu.edulfordyce@mix.wvu.edu

Thank You !Thank You !