The Healthy Lifestyle Center has partnered with the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, to provide vital health screenings, at their monthly Mobile Markets. You might be familiar with the typical food distributions, which are drive through “tailgates” where individuals get pre-assembled packages of food. The Mobile Market is a unique option that allows individuals to shop for the types of food they want and can use. These include perishable items like meat, dairy, frozen foods, and fresh vegetables and fruit. They also have nonperishable canned goods, cereals, and boxed dry goods too. Just like the tailgates, anyone is welcome, they do not require an ID or proof of income.

Mack Kemp, Mobile Market Coordinator, said, “We’re focusing on underserved and rural areas with this program and part of the barriers that happen in those areas is a lack of medical access frequently and as well as the monetary barriers that people are facing. So, the partnership with the Healthy Lifestyle Center has been beneficial. People have been loving it, frankly. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about it. It’s an exciting partnership and I feel like it’s growing and growing and growing and I’m excited to see where it goes. So far it’s been amazing.

The Healthy Lifestyle Center, is available at the market events providing blood pressure, A1C, glaucoma, and blood-glucose testing for anyone who needs it, some of the markets, where there is space available, like at, South Meridian Church of God in Anderson, they were able to expand the screenings to include ear exams and hearing tests with Ball State Audiology Clinic, they saw 18 patients in two hours. Most of the time, they have set up outside, under a tent to provide services, which in this winter weather hasn’t been easy.
Dr. Justin Tobyas, Director of the Healthy Lifestyle Center, said, “One of the challenges we have faced with the cold weather, was keeping our testing supplies stored properly, we finally were able to purchase a chicken warmer, coupled with a cooler to keep the A1C testing supplies at a consistent 70 degrees.”

They have been visiting the same sites on a monthly basis with the markets, in rural parts of East Central Indiana.

• Westview Elementary School- Jonesboro (Grant County)
• Lagro Town Hall- Lagro (Wabash County)
• Salmonia Fire Station- Salmonia (Jay County)
• Ridgeville Public Library- Ridgeville (Randolph County)
• South Meridian Church of God- Anderson (Madison County)

All in all from November 8 through February 21, there have been a total of 349 patient encounters. These are individuals who have discovered they have high blood pressure, issues with glaucoma, or high blood sugar. There are also many individuals who use these screenings to ensure their prescribed meds for diabetes and heart disease are working, and some individuals have test outcomes in the normal range. The students who work for the Healthy Lifestyle Center are on the front lines, building relationships with patients, performing the various health screenings, talking with individuals and families.

Not everyone is convinced to do a screening though, says Leanna C. who is pursuing a graduate degree in dietetics, “Sometimes if they don’t want us to do health screenings, we still try to build that relationship. Sometimes some of them just want to come and talk. So that’s been a nice experience too.”
Graduate Student Phoenix N., who is studying social work, says of her time working the market events, “I think it’s more meaningful to actually go out and interact with different communities instead of, being in our clinic space all the time, just because I do like to see, patients periodically coming back to the same location, to see how people have improved from our services, to see our work come to fruition.”

Claire M, an undergraduate student in public health, added her sentiments about her experience at the mobile market events, “ I really like the education aspect, I like teaching people about their own health and this is a great opportunity to do it directly because a lot of the work public health will do is often stepped away from the actual public. So I’m learning a lot on how to communicate to people in their language, so they understand. The fact that it’s a free service is important to me, especially because some people have barriers to being able to go and get regular screenings for like their A1C, blood pressure, glaucoma.”

The Healthy Lifestyle Center may be coming to a location near you, with the mobile markets, or physical activity classes like line dancing, yoga, Zumba, and more. But they also have a clinic to see patients at 1613 W Riverside Ave, Muncie Indiana. There is free parking in the clinic lot. You can make an appointment by calling 765-285-1293 or emailing HLC765@bsu.edu. The Healthy Lifestyle Center, is one part of the offerings of the Interprofessional Community Clinic operated by the College of Health on Ball State University’s Campus.