#679
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:12:46 -0500
From: Sandra Bargainnier <ssb5@PSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: HEDIR-L Digest - 15 Oct 2007 to 16 Oct 2007 (#2007-221)
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Responding to Health Fairs:
I have been using wellness fairs as a culminating class project for nine
years at Penn State University ( University Park campus) The class is a
program planning course for Kinesiology students--interested in health
promotion and work site health. We use this event as the project we plan,
implement and evaluate.
We do a brief needs assessments with our target population (university
students, high school students/employees, senior center, local industry and
this fall 800 county government employees).
We are sought out by local industry to come and run the event primarily as
an awareness raising activity or as a kick-off for new health insurance, a
new mission/goal of the company, or as a company wellness initiative. etc.
I typically have 20-35 exhibitors and 3-5 symposiums. With university grant
money ( for community outreach) and through local in-kind matching
donations ( for professional graphic design/printing and a discount on
table linens) ---I spend an average of $1500 per event. This includes
marketing, refreshments, appreciation gifts to exhibitors, raffle prizes as
an incentive to fill out evaluation forms, t-shirts for wellness
students/staff, and 1-2 banners ( made at Kinkos) with our logo/theme, and
DVDs, etc. The host organization typically provide tables, chairs, and
maybe a refreshment or two. My students are also required to document the
entire learning process, products we produce, and the event and outcomes.
This is documented via a DVD---in collaboration with the local technology
education students at the high school. These DVD go back to my on-campus
grant providers as evidence of their funding. I have been funded for nine
years---with increasing interest.
I have found that all day events are not worth the time and money. 3-4
hours maximum works best for all involved.
We have had as few as 40 attend ( senior center in Dec) --to over 2700 at
the high school. We typically have 200 participants with local
industry---with very positive results---they receive health insurance
deductions for attending, earn wellness points for monetary incentives etc.
I work closely with risk managers, wellness directors, etc in planning the
events, etc.
So depending on your goal and your target audience-----mine is awareness
raising via screenings and educational, interactive and entertaining
exhibitors---I believe they can be a very worthwhile health promotion
event. From a Social ecological approach---it provides some evidence that a
company cares about the wellness culture of its employees and the work
environment.
I ma happy to share student work products or chat with anyone about this topic
My two cents--
Sandy Bargainnier Ed.D. CHES
ssb5@psu.edu 814-865-1601
Penn State University
Sandra S. Bargainnier Ed.D. CHES
Assistant Professor/Coordinator of Student Teaching
Department of Kinesiology
The Pennsylvania State University
268-C Recreation Building
University Park, PA 16802-5701
Voice: 814-865-1601
Fax: 814-865-1275
E-Mail: ssb5@psu.edu
"Make a Difference"
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#680
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:39:05 -0400
From: Tanya Maslak <TMaslak@SOPHE.ORG>
Subject: National Health Education Week
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
October 15-20, 2007 is National Health Education Week.
=20
The Society for Public Health Education is supporting NHEW 2007, with
the theme of "Finding the Key: Healthier Homes & Communities." This
year's theme aims to increase environmental health literacy among health
educators and other health promotion professionals. =20
=20
SOPHE will expand the celebration of "Finding the Key: Healthier Homes &
Communities" from the typical week to a full, year-long environmental
health education campaign. This larger campaign will have quarterly
sub-themes to highlight specific areas of environmental health. The
timeline for the sub-themes is:=20
October - December, 2007: Overview and Introduction to Environmental
Health
January - March, 2008: Environmental Health Effects on Children and the
Elderly
April - June, 2008: Public Health Impacts of the Built Environment
July - September, 2008: Environmental Influences on Infectious Diseases
=20
In support of this campaign, SOPHE will provide a variety of tools and
resources for health educators to plan and implement activities to
increase environmental health awareness at the local level.
=20
The National Health Education Week Planning Guide 2007 is available free
of charge at:
http://www.sophe.org/upload/NHEW2007_FINAL%20review_09.11.07_1029930651_
9122007085031.pdf
=20
The first installment of SOPHE's "Finding the Key: Healthier Homes &
Communities" Webinar Series, entitled "Increasing Environmental Health
Literacy Among Health Educators and Beyond" helped launch NHEW. This
live event was recorded and will be archived soon on the SOPHE website
at: http://www.sophe.org/content/ce_self_study.asp
=20
The National Health Education Week Contest is being held to recognize
innovative and successful efforts that individuals or organizations have
taken to support NHEW 2007 and the theme "Finding the Key: Healthier
Homes & Communities." Contest Details are available in the NHEW
Planning Guide. Contest Deadlines is November 30, 2007.
=20
=20
Tanya
=20
Tanya Maslak, MPH
Director, Environmental Health Promotion
Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
750 First St. NE; Suite 910=20
Washington, DC 20002
Ph: 202.408.9804
Fax: 202.408.9815
=20
Please visit our website: www.sophe.org
*************************************************
SOPHE 58th Annual Meeting
Partnerships to Reach Health Equity
In collaboration with CDC's Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community
Health (REACH) & Eta Sigma Gamma
October 31 - November 3, 2007
Alexandria Mark Hilton Hotel
Alexandria, VA
=20
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#681
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:13:28 -0400
From: "Josephdegoes, Stephanie (HRSA)" <SJosephdegoes@HRSA.GOV>
Subject: Performance Measurs & Logic Models
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Greetings,
=20
Does anyone have information about creating logic models for performance
measures? I want to use a logic model, but only for performance measures
not for program planning.=20
=20
Thanks
=20
Stephanie Joseph de Goes, MHS
ASPH/HRSA Public Health Fellow
U.S.Dept. of Health and Human Services
Bureau of Health Professions, Shortage Designation Branch
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8C-26
Rockville, MD 20857
301-594-4145
=20
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#682
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:29:50 -0500
From: "Mark J. Kittleson, PhD, FAAHB" <kittle@SIU.EDU>
Subject: 2007 HEDIR Technology Award Luncheon
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Folks,
If you are planning to attend APHA next month (or if you are in the area)
and would like to attend the 2007 AAHE/HEDIR Technology Award luncheon,
please go to http://www.hedir.org/lunch/ and 'register'. There is no cost,
but registration is required (we have a limited number of tickets
available).
This year we will be awarding an individual (Dr. Cristy Jefson, University
of Wisconsin-Whitewater) and an organization (BlueKids.org out of
Milwaukee).
The lunch is scheduled for Monday, November 5 from 11:30 to 1:00 (doors open
at 11:00).
Again, go to www.hedir.org/lunch to sign up. You can register one
additional person on that list as well. Tickets will be available at the
SIU Booth at APHA and will need to be picked up by Sunday afternoon. For
those not attending APHA we'll work out an alternative route to get you the
tickets.
Thanks.
Mark J. Kittleson, PhD, FAAHB
Southern Illinois University
Professor, Health Education
Director of Graduate Studies
Health Education & Recreation
618-453-1841 Office
618-453-1829 FAX
SKYPE ID: mark.j.kittleson
618-912-4445 SKYPE Phone
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#683
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:54:12 -0500
From: Jeff Hallam <jhallam@OLEMISS.EDU>
Subject: Help on a solution to a problem
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Colleagues,
I helped a local non-profit (a health clinic that serves working adults who
do not have health insurance) write a grant to a foundation for a specific
program. The official non-profit's name is different than the name of the
clinic. We thought we would avoid confusion by submitting the grant under
the name of the clinic, but all the 501c3 paperwork shows a different name
(although it is all one in the same). This is causing a problem with our
grant submission and I was hoping someone may have had a similar experience
and could provide a potential solution.
We have letters (from the attorney who drafted the 501c3 paperwork, our CPA,
president of the board), board member minutes and other material to show we
do business as the clinic - but we cannot get the funding agency to respond
if this is sufficient. Given that the funding agency only gave us until the
close of business today to verify that the non-profit is the clinic - I was
hoping someone could lead me in the "right" direction.
Thank you,
Jeff Hallam
Jeffrey S. Hallam, PhD
Associate Professor
Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management
The University of Mississippi
PO BOX 1848
215 Turner Center
662.915.5140
662.915.5525 (fax)
Director
Center for Health Promotion and Health Behavior
236 Turner Center
662.915.5540
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#684
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:14:55 -0500
From: James Teufel <teufel@SIU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Help on a solution to a problem
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
To my understanding, the applicant must be the non-profit organization;
sometimes they have different names (e.g., the clinic could be the Hallam
Clinic, whereas the organization name is The Institute for Clinical Services
for Eastern Mississippi). If the clinic itself, in its name, has not
received a non-profit status, you must use the non-profit status of the
parent organization, or the organization named. Although in the project and
budget narrative you can focus on the clinic and its name (e.g., the clinic
will do such and such for such and such dollars), in the sections specifying
the grantee you need to specify the non-profit agency (seemingly in this
case the parent organization or a business name for the clinic). You need
the official letter designating the 501c3 status of the parent organization
(the organizations name) under which the clinic is subordinate. You could
then explain the subordinate elements of the parent organization; seemingly
in this case it is only the clinic. Be sure to include the official federal
paperwork approving the 501c3 status. This is not an uncommon issue; the
funder should understand if they have reasonable working experience in the
area of 501c3.
Does this make sense?
I hope this helps. If not, let me know, and I will try to elaborate.
James
-----Original Message-----
From: HEDIR-L List [mailto:HEDIR-L@listserv.siu.edu] On Behalf Of Jeff
Hallam
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 8:54 AM
To: HEDIR-L@listserv.siu.edu
Subject: Help on a solution to a problem
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Colleagues,
I helped a local non-profit (a health clinic that serves working adults who
do not have health insurance) write a grant to a foundation for a specific
program. The official non-profit's name is different than the name of the
clinic. We thought we would avoid confusion by submitting the grant under
the name of the clinic, but all the 501c3 paperwork shows a different name
(although it is all one in the same). This is causing a problem with our
grant submission and I was hoping someone may have had a similar experience
and could provide a potential solution.
We have letters (from the attorney who drafted the 501c3 paperwork, our CPA,
president of the board), board member minutes and other material to show we
do business as the clinic - but we cannot get the funding agency to respond
if this is sufficient. Given that the funding agency only gave us until the
close of business today to verify that the non-profit is the clinic - I was
hoping someone could lead me in the "right" direction.
Thank you,
Jeff Hallam
Jeffrey S. Hallam, PhD
Associate Professor
Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management
The University of Mississippi
PO BOX 1848
215 Turner Center
662.915.5140
662.915.5525 (fax)
Director
Center for Health Promotion and Health Behavior
236 Turner Center
662.915.5540
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#685
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:19:28 -0700
From: Frances Andrade <francioas@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: unsubscribe
I would like to be taken off the listserv.
Thank you.
franc=
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Hi,=0A=0AI would like to be taken off the listserv.=0A=0AThank you.=0Afranc=
ioas@yahoo.com=0A=0A__________________________________________________=0ADo=
You Yahoo!?=0ATired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection aro=
und =0Ahttp://mail.yahoo.com
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#686
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:51:53 -0400
From: "jvisker@siu.edu" <jvisker@SIU.EDU>
Subject: Sexual Health Assessment
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Good morning everyone!
I am wondering if anyone is aware of an existing instrument that
assesses a person's overall sexual health in terms of the 6
SIECUS "Life Behaviors of a Sexually Healthy Adult"? Or if any
instrument exists that assesses overall sexual health?
Thanks everyone!
In wellness,
Joseph D. Visker, MS
Graduate Student
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
**
**
**
------------------------------
#687
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:41:44 -0400
From: KDG Consulting <kdgconsulting@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: health fair value
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Have you seen the SOPHE Tools of the Trade column on Health Fairs? It's a
useful "to do" or checklist for fair coordinators...of course, not the way
it looks below, but as it appears in the book Health Education Tools of the
Trade published by SOPHE.
At the risk of reducing the sales of the book dramatically :-) as a
co-author of that column (kudos to longtime co-editor Kathleen Schmalz), let
me share it with you while urging you to take a look at volume 1 and an eye
out for volume 2, due out shortly.
Also, if anyone has any ideas for additional Tools of the Trade columns,
Kathleen and I would be delighted to hear from you. Note the bulleted
format. Great for practitioner reading in a sitting - where you sit is your
call! - and great for teaching support!
NOTE: What we'd add to this one, with the benefit of 20x20 hindsight, is
follow up on your health fairs. Take names, numbers, and emails at each
table and get back to people with information or call to see if they
followed up on any recommendations. That's the Nooo Yawka in me in the
"Show me the data" mode of our current Health Dept. leader, whose Epi
background, combined with a commitment to evidence-based health education
programs, services, and tools has been VERY effective.
Feedback welcome!
kdg
Tool #55 Top Grade Health Fairs: An "A" Fair to Remember
Karen Denard Goldman and Kathleen Jahn Schmalz
Health Promotion Practice
July 2004 Vol. 5, No. 3, 217-221 DOI: 10.1177/1524839904264663 C2004 Society
for Public Health Education
Ya gotta love 'em.or hate 'em. There just doesn't seem to be any in-between
position on health fairs. They're either the greatest waste of time, money,
and resources or the greatest outreach tool since.well, you get the point.
No matter where you work - in community-based organizations, hospitals,
schools, non-profit organizations, public sector agencies, or private
industry - at some time or another you're going to decide whether or not to
sponsor or participate in a health fair and to what degree. According to
our two tool-masters for this issue, Heather Berschling Levitt, MHS, CHES
and Cynthia L. Martin, treating a health fair as anything less than a
full-fledged health education intervention is programmatic suicide. Health
fairs, as all quality programs, require goal clarification, parameter and
partner identification, target audience definition, objective setting,
resource mobilization, strategy/activities selection, promotion, and
evaluation. "We know the steps of this programming dance all too well,"
marvel Levitt and Martin, "Yet for some bizarre reason, when it comes to
planning health fairs, programmatically speaking, we seem to develop two
left feet and a fatal case of assessment amnesia. A well 'nurtured' - a
'healthy' - health fair can and should take on a life of its own." The four
of us hope this tool, filled with insight from their many years of
experience in working for a community-based hospital in a large urban area
serving a diverse population (and a couple of the Editors' own thoughts),
will help raise health fair fare from fatal fiascos to fantastic phenomena!
DEFINITION
A health fair is
. An outreach event
. Part of a strategically planned community health education
intervention
. Tailored to needs of a specific segment of a community
. Sponsored by one or more organizations
. A way to increase awareness of featured health issues
. A way to provide accurate information about specific health problems
. A trigger for specific health actions or behavior change
SET HEALTH FAIR GOALS
Typical Goals:
. Provide important information/health screenings to a population
segment
. Increase organizational visibility within a community
. Promote collaboration with key community agencies
. Meet requirements of organizational administrators/project funders
Steps:
1. Identify which goals apply
2. Acknowledge, accept, prioritize them
3. Use as basis to identify and implement appropriate strategies
DECIDE WHETHER TO HOST OR PARTICIPATE
. Decide: "Which will best accomplish my (organization's) goals?"
. Can choose to do both.at different times - depends on the
circumstances, timing, size of your organization, and availability of
financial and personnel resources
Host Pros:
. Control: you control all aspects of fair (e.g., time, location, set
up, information and screenings available)
. Audience: you determine/define the intended audience
. Location: fair can be as big or as small as space allows
. Competition: minimized; no competition for free services (e.g.
screenings)
. Set up: room/space can be decorated as you desire
. Visibility: all attention is on your organization; introduces
community to your staff and services available - creates potential to build
business
. Image: opportunity to lead collaboration with other community-based
organizations - not necessarily the competition (e.g., police, fire, service
organizations, schools)
Host Cons:
. Expense: you provide all materials; decorations; and advertising
. Staffing: you supply staff to meet needs of audience and services
offered during health fair
. Services: you provide all services or ensure that collaborators are
present to provide services
. Set up: you decorate entire space (room, hall, outdoor space) rather
than just a booth or section of a space
. Logistics: you coordinate all arrangements related to the space
(e.g., set up, traffic flow, clean up, music, security, electricity)
Participant pros:
. Expense: less expensive
. Staff: fewer staff needed to support services and information
offered
. Services: you provide a few services and limited information
. Set up: you just show up - limited set up involved
. Logistics: no responsibilities for promoting the fair
. Visibility: collaboration with another organization
. Image: you can be as generous offering help as you can afford to be;
full burden of the event does not rest with you
Participant Cons:
. Audience: you can only clarify, not define, the intended audience
. Competition: little or no control over other participants; could end
up competing with two or more organizations providing same screening tests
and/or information you offer; competition may outshine you
. Location: no control over the location of fair or your booth; you
could get lost in the sea of other (more, flashier) organizations; site may
be unknown until you arrive.you end up in "health fair Siberia"
. Space: you may have limited space
DEFINE THE AUDIENCE
What to know:
. Basic demographics: age; gender; ethnic/cultural background;
education level; employment status; lifestyle
. Language(s) spoken
. Health concern(s)/priorities
. Attitude(s) toward service/health care providers
. Preferred communication channel(s) and spokespersons for health
information (e.g., face-to-face, written, media)
. Attitude(s) toward health screenings
INTEGRATE The 4 P's of MARKETING
1. The Health Fair as a Product
Build fair on foundation of priority goal (see Set Health Fair Goals above)
Based on audience needs, demographics, time of year, facility, resources
available, etc. decide how your product (health fair) will look and what it
will include.
Decide:
. What information and screening tests to offer: Ideally, tests with
immediate feedback; for other tests, inform participants of follow
up/notification plan
. How to most effectively present information and screening tests -
layout, structure, and labeling of booths
. What else to provide to attract, hold, reassure audience: music;
refreshments; give-aways; games & entertainment; emergency services;
security
. What staff or volunteer corps members will work the fair; ideally,
those who will have greatest positive impact on intended audience
. Fair benefits, features, attributes built in based on barriers or
costs that could keep intended audience away; based on preferences, values,
experiences that could attract intended audience
. Type of follow-up: calls, e-mails, letters to those who took
screening tests
. Site of the fair - remember the three most important things are:
location, location, location
. Timing of the fair; difficult to meet everyone's needs; typically,
for working adults, after work hours; if at the worksite, lunch time;
weekends best for parents and children together.
. Compensating staff for off-hour fairs. Communicate that programs
are client-driven - built and offered around what is convenient and what
will work for intended audience. Rigid 9-5 hours do not accommodate
audience needs, realities; use flex time and/or offer compensatory time.
. Co-sponsors: if not respected, trusted or perceived as credible by
intended audience, partnerships are crucial; when other organizations are
perceived as more respected, trusted, credible than yours, it is wise to
participate rather than sponsor.
Your role:
Create product/fair incorporating desired attributes, benefits, features and
minimizing barriers, costs, risk.
2. Health Fair Price
In the eyes of the prospective participant, does the perceived price or cost
of going outweigh the perceived benefits?
Fee:
. usually free
Other costs:
. Other priority: must give up another activity
. Time: loss of hours needed elsewhere
. Travel costs: transportation, meal, child care costs
. Energy: requires psyching up
. Stigmatization: being perceived as having a health problem by
participating in screening
. Privacy: others alerted to a person's "health business"
. Bliss of ignorance: new information may cause alarm, worry
. Free time: going is another obligation
Your role:
Design fair that in terms of offerings, set up, location, staff, timing, and
so on, minimizes perceived price, costs, risks, barriers while maximizing
benefits desired.
3. Health Fair Place
Based on audience needs and preferences first, then your organization's
needs and preferences.
Accessible, acceptable, adequate
. Access: Can your audience get there in a reasonable amount of time
using their typical forms of transportation? Car? Public transportation?
. Access for people with disabilities and/or special needs
. Acceptable: must be a place intended audience is comfortable
visiting; positive associations
. Adequate: appropriately staffed with reputable services
. Availability and access to potential partners: other community-based
organizations
Your role:
Scout out, identify, and research alternative sites, confirming their
perceived accessibility, acceptability, and adequacy with members of
intended audience.
4. Health Fair Promotion
What?
Do advance planning about when, where and to whom you will promote the fair
Four types of promotion strategies
. Advertising: paid mass media placements; Public Service
Announcements - low cost or free media placements
. Face-to-face "selling": one on one information sharing
. Incentives: offering of gift to those who attend
. Public relations: free mass media publicity through columns, feature
articles, "mentions"
Use appropriate mix of four strategies based on preferences of intended
audience
When?
Timing is critical
. Too early: people forget
. Too late: people can't plan to attend; miss the event
. Ideally: advertise two to three weeks before and again the week of
How?
Reach intended audience multiple times with a variety of promotion
strategies
Strategically place attractive, informative posters
. Make them bright, colorful, fun!!!
. Use color paper with playful fonts in many sizes
. Use pictures or icons to liven up posters
. Highlight fair's most appealing screenings, topics, speakers,
features
. Do not crowd the sign - keep it simple
. Test poster to make sure people notice it, and stop and read it, and
understand it
. Target direct mailings and announcements with a visual/image tie-in
to poster to intended audience
. Create different size posters for different venues (e.g., store
windows, bulletin boards)
Posters
. Hang signs and flyers one week before event
Example: For Saturday fair, all community print materials should be hanging
by Friday the week before; people out in their neighborhood over the weekend
will see your signs
Mailings
. Should arrive during the week of the event
Example: For Saturday fair, recipients should begin to receive mail by
Tuesday. Mailing flyers directly to people's homes can be effective; to
expand your mailing list have a sign-in sheet at other events or use other
organizations' mailing lists or sign in sheets for events targeting the same
population
. Have a sign-up sheet at the fair to use to promote future events
for this population
Church or other religious bulletins: many religious bulletins are printed on
weekends, so run announcements the weekend before fair.
Run advertisements and public service announcements during the week of the
fair
Example: For Saturday fair, advertisements should be aired/printed beginning
on Tuesday.
Check local newspapers for sections dedicated to local events with free
advertising.
Call local media, religious organizations and community groups; build
relationships with the sales/outreach staff or publisher; personally invite
them to fair. You probably already know them and have turned to them
before to identify community needs/goals for the fair and other community
services.
Key Marketing Issues
. Create flyers to use for individual mailings
. Hang posters all over town (or in local neighborhood) and in
storefront windows
. Leave flyers and hang posters in:
Affiliated doctors' offices and clinics
Local schools and colleges
. Ask elementary schools to send flyers home with students if fair
relates to children's issues
. Produce advertisements/announcements for:
local television and/or cable stations
local radio stations
local community newspapers
church and other religious bulletins
college campus bulletins
LOGISTICAL PLANNING "MUSTS"
To limit "day of" problems, in advance:
. Visit site far in advance
. Draw diagram of the space
. Evaluate and design space
o Identify set-up needs
o Identify clean-up needs
. Plan fair layout to facilitate traffic flow; plan for distribution
of give-aways throughout the area, not near entrance
. Order tables/chairs and other supplies
. Plan to use a variety of audio-visual (A-V) features
. Arrange to have a knowledgeable "techie" on hand for A-V
. Plan to arrive for set-up at least one and a half hours prior to
start time
. Prior to the event, confirm staffing individually and send each a
letter with all logistical details - including your (or event coordinator's)
pager number or cell phone so you can be reached on site
. Arrange transportation of staff and supplies prior to the day of the
event
. If event is very large, give planning staff walkie-talkies
. Secure clean/new white lab coats for staff - nothing is more
unappealing than health-related personnel improperly or unprofessionally
dressed or dirty
. Arrange for at least one staff person for each screening area and
information table
. Prepare hand-outs and relevant information for each screening
station
. Design pretty, inviting, festive set up, e.g., use colorful
tablecloths
. Create and plan design of booths to allow eye-catching signage that
can be hung above eye level
o Contrasting colors
o Placed upright/not flat on tables
o Clearly identifying tables/areas
o Use appropriate languages
. Secure give-aways appropriate to age group of attendees that
reinforce fair/booth messages
. Prepare mailing list sign-up sheets available at entrance and/or
exit and/or at the popular stations
. Prepare packing lists of supplies needed
o One for each station
o One contact list of all staff with their phone/cell numbers
. Draft correspondence: invitation letters; confirmation letters;
thank you notes
PITFALLS TO AVOID:
1. Loss of credibility; no one from your organization at fair speaks
language of audience; health literature is culturally inappropriate
Prevention: Begin slowly. Create trust and recognition for your
organization. Conduct smaller programs in community before taking on health
fair. Get to know the community. Build relationships with multiple local
agencies. Recruit staff/volunteers who speak languages of the community.
Test all materials and pull those that don't "pass." When time comes for
health fair, community members will know your organization. Remember, "You
don't get a second chance to make a first impression!"
2. Unintended/inappropriate participants
Free screenings and information to community members not eligible or able to
use services are not cost effective. They turn off funders for future fairs.
Prevention: targeted promotion to intended audience, exclusively; focused
promotional materials.
3. Give-away Grabbers
Beware of "grazers" looking for free gifts, taking multiple items, not
interested in the free services or information.
Prevention: Bring "give-aways" that are very inexpensive with your
organization's name and phone number on them.
4. No Shows
No one or very few people come to the fair.
Prevention: design, place/locate, and advertise your health fair to show its
many benefits and minimal costs. Work with your collaborating agencies to
spread the word about your health fair. Plan for a rainy day (if your fair
is outdoors); host fair indoors.
5. Your organization's staff does not show.
Particularly damaging if people who do not show are the one's able to
conduct the advertised free screenings.
Try not to rely on one person for the entire fair - if the person for the
first shift does not show up, you can tell fair goers to come back during
the second shift. Also, knowing if your organization's upper level
administrators are in support of your outreach efforts can assist you with
ensuring that staff participation will not be a problem. Reminder letters,
emails and phone calls will help. Collect staff's home/cell phone numbers
and pager numbers to enable contact on the day of the event.
6. One successful table/booth - others lacking in appeal. This can and
usually will occur when you host your own fair.
Prevention: One way to avoid it is to know your audience. You may want to
bring attention to a certain health concern that you know is statistically
relevant to your audience, but they may not be ready to address it. Learn
from your past experiences with the community and your collaborators.
Draw attention to what may be a less popular table/booth by using creative
audio-visuals or controlling the flow of participants through the fair
(e.g., you don't want to have food at the entrance to your fair or some
child friendly activity - face painting - it will be difficult to direct
people to the main part of the fair after they encounter those tables).
7. Spreading your staff or organization or yourself too thin.
Prevention: Certain times of the year are popular for health fairs and
community-based fairs - don't commit your organization and staff to
participating in too many events so that your participation becomes flat and
inconsistent and your staff dreads doing another event. If your organization
is small with limited resources, be prudent in your selection of events in
which to participate or to host. For larger organizations, try to address
different community needs at different times. This way your visibility is
increased because you are conducting more events and your staff does not get
overwhelmed because you do not need to rely on the same staff each time.
Screenings/Activities to Offer
Blood pressure
Cholesterol
Skin cancer prevention and detection
Glucose
Mammography/Breast Self-Exam
Podiatry
Dental health
Vision
Hearing
Asthma
Ambulance tours
Summary
. Knowledge and preparation are the keys.
. Assess the needs of the intended audience.
. Work with key community-based organizations.
. Be prepared to handle a variety of information and referral needs.
. If you can't handle specific requests, be able to provide a name and
number of an organization that can.
. Be organized, prepared and flexible.
. Make sure everyone participating is on board with the goals of the
event.
. Make sure everyone can speak knowledgably about your services.
. Acknowledge and appreciate the staff participating and your local
collaborators.
. Know when to decline invitations to participate so that staff is not
overextended.
. Get the word out every (effective) which way you can.
. Send thank you letters to all involved.
kdg
------------------------------
#688
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:46:54 -0400
From: Angela Lee <angela@HEALTHDESIGNS.NET>
Subject: health fair value
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Were you looking at health fairs for universities or workplaces or
community? We provide health fair services for workplaces and have achieved
wonderful success with not only change in knowledge and attitude, but change
in behavior as well...seems to be tied to having screenings and immediate
results!
Angela Lee
Project Manager
Health Designs, Inc.
904-285-2019
angela@healthdesigns.net
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
** www.hedir.org/support.htm
**
**
**
------------------------------
#689
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:25:41 -0400
From: Michaela Conley <michaela@HPCAREER.NET>
Subject: Paid Ad: Assistant Professor, Public Health @ James Madison University
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
The Department of Health Sciences at James Madison University invites
applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor rank
starting in August, 2008.
The individual in this position will teach courses in the Health Studies
and Public Health Concentration. The usual teaching load is 12 credit
hours per semester. In addition to teaching, responsibilities include
conducting and supervising research, serving on university committees,
and advising students within the concentration.
Doctoral degree in a Health Sciences field is required. ABD candidates
will be considered if completion date is before August 2008. CHES
certification is preferred. Preference will be given to those with
university teaching experience in more than one of the following:
Research Methods, Behavior Change, Community Health, Chronic/Infectious
Disease, Health Counseling, Health Communication, and Epidemiology.
Candidates must demonstrate commitment to excellence in teaching,
research, and service within and outside the university community.
JMU is a comprehensive university, with an enrollment of approximately
17,000 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students, located in
Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harrisonburg is a growing city of approximately
40, 000 in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley approximately 2 hours from
Washington, D.C., Richmond, and Roanoke. JMU is regarded as one of the
finest regional universities in the nation and has been cited in U.S.
News and World Report, Changing Times, and Money Magazine as an
outstanding public university. JMU has been cited in the U.S. News' 2007
America's Best Colleges guidebook as one of our nation's top 35 colleges
in undergraduate research.
The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and
experience. The deadline for applications is Dec. 17. Screening of
candidates will begin on Jan. 7th, and will continue until a suitable
candidate is found. To apply for this position go to
_https://JobLink.jmu.edu_ <https://joblink.jmu.edu/> and reference
posting number 0401932.
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/
EQUAL ACCESS EMPLOYER AND ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGES APPLICATIONS FROM
MINORITIES, WOMEN AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
**
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
** www.hedir.org/support.htm
**
**
**
------------------------------
#690
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:05:44 -0400
From: Jim at CPP <jvgrizzell@CSUPOMONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: health fair value
** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising
** www.hedir.org to Learn More
**
Karen,
Thanks for let us know about SOPHE's book. I didn't know that one of the areas in it was health fairs. I found the book at the the SOPHE store. http://www.sophe.org/store.asp . It's great to hear about your health department leader's "Show me the data" mode and definitely add follow-up as a component of health fairs. The follow-up is what made the Los Angeles Health Fair Expos effective.
Jim
Jim Grizzell, MBA, MA, CHES, HFI, FACHA
C - 909-856-3350
E - jvgrizzell@csupomona.edu
F - 202-379-9786
W - https://experts.csupomona.edu/expert.asp?id=120
W - www.csupomona.edu/~jvgrizzell
W - www.healthedpartners.org/ceu/sm
** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift
** www.hedir.org/support.htm
**
**
**
------------------------------