Wood County residents ages 27 to 64 are eligible for free health screenings for heart disease and stroke risk. The screenings include cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and BMI. Appointments are required. Currently two screenings are scheduled for next week. Future events will be scheduled in Weston and Stony Ridge.
The current event schedule is:
Bowling Green – Tuesday, Aug. 9 from 8 a.m. to noon at the First United Methodist Church (1526 E. Wooster St.)
Bradner – Thursday, Aug. 11 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Bradner American Legion (209 W. Crocker St.)
North Baltimore – Thursday, Sept. 1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the North Baltimore Library (230 N. Main St.)
To schedule an appointment, call 419-352-8402 ext. 3258. Fasting for 8-10 hours before an appointment is recommended for more accurate results.
Registered Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers are also wanted to help with these events. If you are or want to become an MRC volunteer, contact William Bryant-Bey at 419-528-8402 ext. 3267 or wbryant-bey@co.wood.oh.us to learn more.
The events are funded by a grant from the National Association of City and County Health Officers to support Medical Reserve Corps activities. Three events have already had to be rescheduled due to no or low numbers of appointments.
Why screen for heart disease and stroke risk factors? Heart disease and stroke accounted for 26% of all Wood County adult deaths in 2013. Some heart disease and stroke risk factors can be changed, treated or controlled. These include blood pressure, diabetes, blood cholesterol, smoking and obesity.
The 2015 Wood County Health Assessment found that more than 1 in 4 people (26 percent) of Wood County adults had been diagnosed with high blood pressure, 30 percent had high blood cholesterol, 22 percent were obese, and 11 percent were smokers, four known risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
The Medical Reserve Corps is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities. In Wood County, all types of volunteers are accepted including medical and non-medical individuals. During times of crisis, volunteers will be needed to help give medication or care for large number of injured or ill. Becoming an MRC volunteer requires completing online training and registration through an Ohio volunteer database. Wood County Health District encourages people to sign up now to make it easier for them to help later.
The mission of Wood County Health District is to take the initiative to facilitate opportunities for Wood County residents to lead healthy lives. Our Health and Wellness Center welcomes all patients and accepts most third party insurances, including uninsured or underinsured clients regardless of ability to pay. The Health District is located at 1840 E. Gypsy Lane Road in Bowling Green. Normal office hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with late hours available. The Wood County Board of Health meetings are generally held on the second Thursday of the month at 6 pm at Wood County Health District and are open to the public. More information can be found at www.woodcountyhealth.org.
