Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU) partnered with several local agencies to host a free community health fair Saturday on campus in south Provo, drawing an estimated 250 attendees from around Utah County.
Residents received free health screenings, including bone density checks, children’s development screenings, hearing tests, and BMI checks. Referrals for follow-up appointments were given when needed.
Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins stopped by the event and participated in some of the screenings herself, including a grip strength test.
“Days like today are exactly why RMU exists,” RMU President Cameron K. Martin said. “We value the opportunity to bring our students, faculty, and clinical training directly into the community we serve. Events like this health fair reflect what we mean when we talk about improving the human condition.”
RMU student Leslie Depauli helped run a booth with other Doctor of Physical Therapy students that offered testing for strength, flexibility, and endurance.
In one test, participants squeezed a dynamometer with each hand to record their grip strength. A good grip strength is important for practical purposes because it’s used in a plethora of daily activities — from holding onto railings, opening lids to carrying grocery bags. Grip strength is also considered to be a good indicator of overall health and an “indispensable biomarker for older adults,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
Participants then tested their flexibility by doing a hamstring reach to see how close their fingers came to their toes. The final challenge tested endurance in a sit-to-stand drill, which counted how many times they could get up from a chair and back down in 30 seconds.
The tests weren’t part of a competition. They were simply to inform participants about their current status and to offer ideas about how to improve.
“It’s really cool to give the community insight on their own health,” Depauli said. “These little tests can open their eyes to their overall health and give them some tips on what they can do to better themselves.”
Like many others, BYU student Tasi Kakazu, attending the health fair with her husband and baby, came away determined to improve her grip strength. She was also grateful to find out about mental health services available to the community through the RMU Health Clinics and partner, Kane Counseling Services.
“There were booths that had therapy and counseling,” she said. “It was good to come across and to know that there are resources for that.”
Utah’s WIC program, one of the health fair sponsors, also actively participated in the outreach by signing up 100 women to attend with their families. In conjunction with the organization’s mission, the WIC booth offered nutrition education and provided community referrals.
“We just love coming out to the community and letting them know what we do,” Payson WIC supervisor Juliane Ribeiro said. “One of WIC’s biggest missions is to provide supplemental food and lactation support, but it’s also to provide referrals to community partners. Doing events like this is super important to us and one of our main mission goals.”
Other community partners included the United Way of Utah County, the Utah County Health Department, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
RMU student Addie Sandberg, who’s studying to become a physician assistant, administered blood glucose tests with classmates.
“It’s fun to be here,” Sandberg said. “We’re taking stuff we’ve been learning in the classroom and applying it to people that might not be able to get the service otherwise.”
