Dynamic Health Fair Planning Model for Community Partners Provided by a Local Health Department

Background: An increase in requests to attend community health fairs coupled with reduced resources have created challenges to providing adequate health promotion services to our community. In response, Lexington-Fayette County Health Department (LFCHD) staff created a dynamic health fair planning model that relies on community engagement and strategic planning rather than only direct provision of services. This model was also developed to improve outreach to populations in the county identified as higher risk because of their location, socioeconomic profiles, or race.

Method: When LFCHD is initially contacted about a health fair, staff provides an intake form and planning guide for event coordinators to complete and return. LFCHD then provides planning consultations, a resource kit, and toolkit designed to help community leaders choose, plan, promote, implement, and evaluate a health promotion strategy and event. 

Results are proactive; they provide a theoretical, evidence-based guide to health promotion events that: 1) increase knowledge and understanding of health behaviors; 2) promote opportunities to receive care; and 3) increase awareness of these issues among higher risk populations and community stakeholders. 

Conclusion: This model helps community partners of LFCHD deliver quality health promotion events designed for their populations. The model has increased provision of effective health promotion events without placing an additional burden on health department staff and depleting resources. LFCHD hopes to widely disseminate and share it with community partners currently engaged in a large-scale Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan that targets residents of Fayette County residing in areas with persistently poorer health outcomes.