October 15, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: DEBORAH ROBERTS PUGH

(662) 377-3712

Visit www.nmhs.net for an electronic version of this article.

NMMC-WEST POINT HEALTH FAIR

TO FEATURE FREE SCREENINGS, SERVICES

WEST POINT, Miss.—Put your health to the test during North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point’s 21^st annual health fair from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3 at The Civic, 130 Sixth St.

Flu shots will be available for $15 to those who are considered high-risk individuals. According to the Centers for Disease Control, these include:

· all children age 6-23 months;

· adults age 65 years and older;

· persons age 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions;

· all women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;

· residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities;

· children age 6 months-18 years on chronic aspirin therapy;

· health care workers involved in direct patient care; and

· out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children under age 6 months.

Health Fair participants will not be turned away if request a flu shot. However, hospital officials ask that everyone evaluate their need for a flu shot in light of the recent shortage dilemma by following the CDC recommendations.

Marianne Barnes, M.D., a psychiatrist with the NMMC Behavioral Health Center in Tupelo, will speak at 11 a.m. about domestic violence.

Free screenings include blood pressure checks, stroke screenings and heart attack risk tests. The hospital’s laboratory will offer $5 cholesterol screening or $7 for both cholesterol screening and blood glucose screening for diabetes. Ginger Carver, RN and certified diabetes educator, will be on hand to answer questions and provide diabetes information.

Free screenings will be offered for depression and anxiety, skin cancer, vision, glaucoma, oxygen saturation, sleep disorders, and foot and ankle problems. A speech-language pathologist will perform free hearing screenings and take appointments for free speech-language-hearing screenings for preschool children.

Free services include nutrition counseling, as well as body mass index. The local SAFE KIDS Coalition will offer a child safety seat checkpoint to ensure that safety seats are installed and buckled properly to protect the child.

Appointments will be taken at the health fair for $65 mammograms (including the radiologist’s reading fee) to be scheduled Nov. 15-19, and a drawing will be held that day for a free mammogram.

Information will be available about lupus and congestive heart failure. West Point Police Department will be issuing free gun locks. Other exhibitors include the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Community Counseling, Sally Kate Winters Memorial Children’s Home Resource Center, American Association of Retired Persons, West Point Pilot Club Vial of Life program, Weigh Down in West Point, MPACT college savings plan, Health Link® and Nurse Link®.

For more information on the health fair, call (662) 495-2300 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).

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