Building pre-event interest is critical to a successful health fair.
A health fair is an event to promote health awareness, inform the public and encourage participants to make positive behavioral health changes. Health fairs are offered by specific health related groups such as community centers, hospitals and family counseling centers. The main goal in planning a health fair is to be innovative and creative in such a way that people will look forward to it becoming an annual event.
Planning Your Event
Planning a health fair requires between six months to a year before the scheduled date. Arrange a planning committee and have representatives from different groups: Health professionals, health agencies, schools, churches, local companies, media and various members of your target audience.
Determine which groups you wish to target and contact your vendors. Create a questionnaire for the vendors so that they can evaluate the fair. This will determine strengths and weaknesses, whether goals were achieved, and it will serve as a guide for the next health fair.
Choose a location that is large enough to allow vendors to set up their displays with plenty of walk-around room for attendees.
Form Committees
Divide your volunteers into committees and assign each with a specific task. For instance, the coordinating committee is responsible for planning the theme, scheduling and budgeting. The clinical committee is responsible for topics, health screenings and interactive activities. A logistics committee will be responsible for location, booths and safety precautions. The clerical committee will be responsible for arranging adequate staff and volunteers. A publicity committee will be responsible for marketing the health fair in the area.
Select a Theme
You can schedule your health fair to coincide with a holiday or create a seasonal theme. For instance, if you choose to have your health fair in February, your theme can be "Celebrate a Healthy Heart," in connection with Valentine's Day. If you decide to organize a health fair in Spring, your theme can be "Jump into Spring," and have a trampoline on display. Jumping on trampoline offers the same fitness benefits as jumping rope, but without the impact of landing on the ground.
Contact External Sources
Organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes and the American Heart Association can provide educational material. Health promotion providers, such as fitness centers, massage therapists and chiropractic offices can be available for health fairs and can offer their services. Government agencies can provide information on police and fire safety, drinking and driving prevention and swimming safety.
Interactive Activities
Include interactive activities at your health fair. Arrange activities on topics such as stress, women's and men's health-related issues and child care resources. Provide blood pressure, glucose or cholesterol testing, and have participants preregister for these screenings. Have CPR and first-aid, self-defense, martial arts, exercise equipment, and healthy cooking demonstrations. Perform health assessment questionnaires and surveys. Follow-up with the results and offer the participant guidance about healthy lifestyle habits and changes. The results and the questionnaires must be given to the participant for privacy concerns. Have a release form prepared for the participant to sign prior to screenings.
Incentives and Prizes
Incentives encourage participation at a health fair. Decide on an incentive that coincides with your theme.You can also use free promotional items from your vendors. For instance, provide participants with a card that needs to be stamped. This card will have a determined number of booths or screenings they must visit to receive a stamp. When the card is fully stamped they turn it in and become eligible for a free gift.
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