The Health Fair as a Health Promotion Strategy: Effects on Health Risk Behaviors and the Utility of Specific Health Fair Activities

Abstract

Abstract Health fairs, carnivals, and exhibitions are health promotion strategies that have been frequently discussed in recent health-related literature. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if students attending a university health fair experienced greater reductions in health risk behavior compared with those not attending the fair. A second purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of specific activities within the health fair, using measures of participation, enjoyment, and self-reported changes in health knowledge and habits. Three hundred and four students participated in this study. They included those who 1) attended the health fair and had filled out a health risk appraisal, 2) attended the health fair only, and 3) students from a general psychology course, who served as controls. Six weeks after the conclusion of a two-day campus health fair, subjects were asked to complete a Health Fair Evaluation Questionnaire, a Wellness Check-Health Risk Appraisal, or both instruments. Contrary to expectations, results indicated that both the health fair group and control group showed significant reductions in overall health risk behavior, as well as diet and highway safety behavior across the course of this study. Health fair screening activities that were most frequently attended or were cited as being related to enjoyment and to knowledge and habit change were those for blood pressure, pulmonary functioning, body fat assessment, and the health risk appraisal. Fair activities and materials that were least often used, or were least likely to be cited as being related to enjoyment and to health change were the sickle cell anemia screening and informational brochures and pamphlets that were available for selection during the fair. Further studies of health fair outcomes such as health knowledge and awareness, using more rigorous research and evaluation designs, including appropriate control groups, are needed.