An Assessment of the INShape Indiana Black & Minority Health Fair. 30 years of Building Healthy People

Issues: Health fairs are one of the most recognizable forms of community-based health promotion in the United States. Identifying and assessing the health needs of minority populations who experience disparities and problems accessing health care helps in the efforts to create health equity.  The INShape Indiana Black & Minority Health Fair tracks causative agents or reasons that morbidity, chronic illness, and mortality differ between particular racial and ethnic subgroups.

Description:  The core goal of the INShape Indiana Black & Minority Health Fair is to increase minority awareness of chronic diseases, including prevention, raising public awareness of the health issues that disproportionately affect minorities, and directly improving the health and well being of all who attend.

Lessons Learned: In 2014, the INShape Indiana Black & Minority Health Fair had 20,002 individuals participated during the four day event. Of the total number of attendees, 10% received intravenous blood draw screenings (A1C, glucose, creatinine, PSA, total lipid panel, and sickle cell). Over 1500 participants completed the 19 question survey. Over 89% of respondents indicated they came to the event for the free health screenings, health resources, and education.

Recommendations: Seek out more resources and opportunities to decrease and eliminate health disparities among underserved populations.

Limitations: There are medical professionals that do not view health fairs as effective. Other limitations include limited resources to support planning efforts and the growing number of statewide events and health fairs that effect attendance.