FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 24, 2009
Contact: Macaulay Knight
662.329.7119
mknight@pa.muw.edu

MUW nursing hosts health fairs across Mississippi

COLUMBUS, Miss. – The baccalaureate nursing program at Mississippi University for Women will host health fairs throughout the state this fall.

Locations include the Clay County Medical Center of West Point and East Oktibbeha County Elementary School of Starkville. Earlier this month, nursing students visited West Lowndes Elementary of Columbus, Liddell Middle School of Macon and the Columbus YMCA.

“These first health fairs have been well received by the communities and schools where we have conducted them and nursing students have enjoyed giving to the community citizens through participating in health promotion activities,” said Deborah Miranda, assistant professor of nursing at MUW.

School health fairs feature senior nursing students covering areas such as nutrition and exercise, dental hygiene and proper flu and cold prevention among students.  

Community health fairs include screening for cholesterol, bone mineral density, glucose screening, height, weight and body mass index to promote health among adults.

“They [attendees] have learned to appreciate the value of starting early to prevent health problems from beginning and hope to impact the rates of obesity and heart disease in the long term and to prevent an excess burden of flu cases in the short term,” said Miranda.

For more information about the nursing program at MUW, contact 662.329.7301 or visit http://web2.muw.edu/index.php/nursing/.