Over 1500 attend March health fair screenings

Norma Voss of Carlyle (left) completes a heel bone density screening with Chris Huelskamp, a certified densitometry technologist at St. Joseph's in Breese, during the hospital's spring health fair screening event at the Breese Knights of Columbus. Heel bone density is used to identify osteoporosis risks and was one of a number of screenings offered during. Other screenings included a Comprehensive Blood Screening, men's Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA, pulmonary function, body composition, blood pressure and blood sugar.

 

New Baden resident William Malina watches carefully as hospital phlebotomist Sharon Henrichs completes his blood draw March 25 at St. Mary's Parish Center in Trenton. St. Joseph's in Breese sponsored health fairs in Breese, Carlyle, Germantown and Trenton this March and will host screenings again in October with details to be announced.

Over 1500 health-conscious men, women and teens, some from as far away as Chesterfield and St. Charles, Mo., participated in the four health fair screening events offered by St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese during March. 

The March 20 event at the Breese Knights of Columbus attracted the most participants with over 600, followed by the March 12 health fair screening at the Germantown American Legion with over 360. The March 4 fair at the Carlyle KC had over 330 and the March 25 date at St. Mary's Parish Center in Trenton had over 270 in attendance.

Karyn Whitlatch, event coordinator and hospital Community Relations director, said inclement weather held down attendance at the March 4 fair in Carlyle although the screenings at Breese and Carlyle typically attract the most participants. That lower turn-out may have pushed totals higher at the three remaining fairs but overall attendance remained about the same as in the spring of 2007 when about 1550 had lab work drawn or participated in one or more of the other screenings.

The spring health fair screenings continue to grow, Whitlatch said. Previous totals include 1484 in Spring '06, 1364 in Spring '05 and 1295 in Spring '04.

The four fall health fair screenings, generally in October at Breese, Carlyle, Germantown and Trenton, also continue to grow, Whitlatch said. Totals include 1226 in Fall '07, 1037 in Fall '06, 787 in Fall '05 and 587 in Fall '04.

Health fairs serve to alert participants to potential health issues, Whitlatch said, noting that tests are for screening purposes and not meant to diagnose or treat diseases.

Anyone with an extreme test result—fewer than one or two a year, according to hospital Lab Supervisor Stephanie Reynolds—is notified by telephone. Otherwise, results are mailed to the address provided and participants are responsible for following up with their healthcare provider.

Other screenings—heel bone density, pulmonary function, blood pressure, body composition and blood sugar—provide immediate results and those with readings outside the standard are encouraged to follow-up with their health practitioner, Whitlatch said.

The colorectal screening is an at-home procedure and the kit includes instructions for follow-up, depending on results received.

Eyeglasses for the Lions, wigs, hats, scarves and other head coverings for the hospital's patient-in-need program are collected at the health fairs and throughout the year. Donations may be left at the Switchboard in care of Community Relations.

For more information about the health fair screenings, contact 526-5439 or 526-5663, or email Stacy Albers or Karyn Whitlatch.