Over 500 people attended UI Health Sponsored Latin American Health Fair
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
The Latin American Health Weeks Health Fair coordinated by the Mexican Consulate's office and 12 other Latin American Consulates was held on October 19th, 2013. Over 500 people attended the Health Fair at the Little Village Elementary School, 2620 S. Lawndale.
The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System was the lead hospital at the health fair. Screenings provided included: glucose, dental, blood pressure, body mass index, and vision. UI Health provided a total of 625 screenings. The results included 155 glucose screenings with 145 normal and 10 abnormal readings; 35 dental screenings with 29 normal and 6 abnormal screenings; 152 blood pressure screenings with 144 normal and 8 abnormal screenings, 132 body mass index screenings with 44 normal, 88 abnormal results, and 151 vision exams with 51 normal and 100 abnormal results. Individuals with abnormal results were recommended to seek immediate care. Our physicians, nurses and medical staff recommended our specialized clinics, Mile Square Health Centers and follow up with their primary care physicians.
37 UI Health volunteers coordinated efforts to make this event successful. Participating clinical departments included Ophthalmology, College of Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry, nurses from oncology, surgery, neuroscience, nursing services, information and referral and the Mile Square Health Center Community Health Advocates. We provided 3 workshops: Financial Case Management Unit, Interventional Radiology, and Oncology.
The Latin American Health Weeks (LHW) is a series of annual health fairs, informational workshops, conferences, medical exams/screenings and other activities organized by 13 Latin American Consulates in the Midwest and their network of agencies, health departments, hospitals, community organizations, schools and churches. The program seeks to organize various platforms that provide care through medical screenings, treatments, healthcare referrals, education on health insurance coverage and general health education and outreach. The LWH has its origins in the Bi-national Health Week as the largest mobilization effort in the Americas to improve the health and well-being of the underserved Latino population living in the United States and Canada. The Office of the Mexican Consulate is the largest in consulate office in Chicago. Over the course of the month, over 120 events were conducted along with over 100 partner institutions, including non-profit community organizations, clinics, hospitals, government agencies, schools and churches in Illinois, Wisconsin and Northern Indiana.