The Stand
In Onondaga County, more than 10 percent of adults, or 32,000 people, do not have any type of health insurance and nearly 15 percent, or 51,000 adults, said cost prevented them from visiting a doctor in 2008 – 2009, according to the New York State Expanded Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Report from that period.
And these high numbers of people not accessing routine medical care are a primary reason for the annual Free Get Health Connected Screening Fair set for Saturday, Sept. 28. The fair will be offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community School, located at 416 E. Raynor Ave., and will offer free on-site health screenings and information to adults (18 and older).
Screenings will include:
- Blood pressure
- Breast cancer *
- Glucose (diabetes)
- Colorectal cancer
- Cholesterol
- Peripheral artery disease
- Vision/glaucoma
- Prostate cancer *
- HIV and sexually transmitted diseases
* (Advance appointment needed by calling 464-8668.)
Health screenings can be helpful because they detect health problems at early stages, when there is a greater chance to save lives. The event is especially designed for people who are uninsured and under-insured, as well as those unable to schedule regular exams for one reason or another.
Plus, facilitated enrollers will be on site to help individuals select and enroll in public health plans and learn about the Affordable Care Act. Spanish and other language translators will also be available.
Additionally, pharmacists will be at the event teaching people about the importance of medication logs and how to complete them, along with smoking cessation counselors; emergency medical personnel providing CPR and AED demonstrations; demonstrations of proper hand-washing technique and healthy food preparation; and many more tables with information and experts to answer questions.
Free parking, free transportation by request, door prizes and healthy refreshments will be available. Call (315) 464-8668 for more information or to make a transportation request.
Get Health Connected is a voluntary consortium of CNY health and human service agencies and hospitals with support from local corporations. The entire event is organized and executed with goods and services donated by these organizations.
