Education
FSU Discovery Days: FSU Health brings screenings, resources to Gadsden County residents
Saturday’s expo was one example of how FSU Health is unifying researchers, educators, students, clinicians and the community to transform health and healthcare throughout Florida.
Attendees received free health screenings from several mobile health units, including Big Bend Cares, Statlab Mobile, DSR Public Health Foundation, Bethel Missionary Baptist and PanCare Dental. The FSU College of Communication and Information offered services through its mobile speech and hearing clinic, while students from the FSU College of Nursing provided free blood pressure screenings.
“It is great that we are able to provide this for the community,” said nursing student Samantha Stevens. “And this gives us the opportunity to practice our clinical nursing skills, like taking blood pressure and therapeutic communication with patients.”
A blood pressure screening takes only a few minutes, but the information it provides is an important indicator for a host of health issues.
“There are a multitude of things that could cause high blood pressure, and it can lead to more severe conditions, so it’s important to know your baseline and get it checked periodically,” said nursing student Amaria Brown. “That tells you if your health is going in the right direction and if it’s not, you can start to do something about it.”
Visitors could also learn about and enroll in research studies focused on lower back pain, breast cancer recovery, and irritable bowel syndrome. The studies explore noninvasive interventions to help patients manage chronic pain and improve their quality of life.
“The goal of our research is to improve quality of life,” said research coordinator Talia Arocha. “We’re trying to see what we can do to help people feel better.”
Community partnerships are a central part of the FSU Health mission.
At an Apalachee Center booth, program supervisor Selina Agnew explained how the center supports clients with mental health needs.
“We take a holistic approach to mental healthcare,” she said. “Events like this are where we can share information about where help is available, whether that’s for general mental health treatment or help with substance abuse. Connecting with therapy or peer support helps get resources to people who wouldn’t necessarily know what we offer.”
The expo reflects FSU Health’s broader efforts to improve healthcare access in medically underserved communities. FSU’s College of Medicine uses a community-based approach to medical education that brings clinicians to medically underserved areas around the state. This year, FSU also received more than $19 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program, which helps states improve healthcare delivery by improving access, quality and outcomes in rural communities.
“This event helps make sure our communities and citizens have access to the resources and information that will help them lead healthier lives,” said Quincy Mayor Robin Wood.
“Health is wealth,” said Gadsden County Commissioner Eric Hinson. “To bring in Florida State and the resources that come with the university, that does a lot. Everybody is excited about that.”
