An Impactful Health Fair in a Semi-Urban Community: Awolowo Town Case Study

Abstract

Background: Even though most communities in developing countries understand the importance of disease prevention, they do not know how to do so. Beneficial programmes, like Health Fairs, even when relatively free, are often scorned. Understanding the importance of hypertension prevention in rural communities in developing nations is under-utilized. This study aimed to get the Awolowo community to come to terms with the benefits of an impactful Health Fair and generate convincing health information. It addressed how to motivate, generate interest and participate. Thus bridging knowledge gap and experience regarding disease prevention and medical screening. Methodology: This was a prospective study conducted over three days during a health fair at Awolowo town, Osun State, South-western Nigeria. A total of 178 Participants (18 years and above) were divided into three groups. Each group went through eight (8) different stations of specialized Health screening format. Blood pressure, Body mass index (BMI), and demographics were collected. Regression analyses was carried out on IBM SPSS (version 21) to examine the relationship between demographic features and blood pressure. Results: Our study found a high prevalence of pre-hypertension (41.6%) among participants. The study highlighted the rising rates of overweight (22.5%) and obesity (14%) in the population. Also, about 33% had hypertension, while increasing age was identified as a significant factor in its prevalence. The data demonstrates a strong correlation between obesity/overweight and hypertension. Conclusion: The specialized Health screening format and seminars/workshops served as motivation and interest generation. This should be adopted for similar studies. This study emphasizes the need for community interventions to address the growing prevalence of hypertension and obesity in Awolowo town and environ. Early diagnosis, heightened awareness, and lifestyle modifications are crucial approaches to mitigate health risks related to these conditions and enhance the overall health and well-being of the community.