Health Education Fair at African Community Education, Worcester

Abstract

Health knowledge and health literacy are important social determinants of health, and can have a major impact on the health and well-being of an individual. Health education, through formal classroom instruction, peer education, or community health fairs, has been effective in increasing health knowledge and literacy. Worcester, MA is home to many refugees and immigrants from around the world, who represent a key population vulnerable to disparities in social determinants of health, especially health knowledge and literacy. This Capstone project created a Health Education Fair at African Community Education (ACE), an afterschool enrichment program in Worcester for refugee and immigrant students hailing from African countries. The Health Education Fair consisted of multiple stations: Hygiene, Mental Health, Nutrition, Sexual Health, and Substance Use/Peer Pressure. Curriculum and materials were created and University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) student volunteers facilitated the stations. Evaluation of the curriculum was done using pre- and post- surveys administered to the ACE students on the day of the Health Education Fair. Survey data demonstrated that students who participated in the Health Education Fair had an average increase in knowledge, for all included stations, of 2 points on a 10-point scale. The Health Education Fair provided an important opportunity for UMMS students to collaborate with ACE and provide health education to this key population.