Missouri

On August 7, Bob Eisenkramer from Enhanced Vision provided an outstanding hands-on demonstration of the newest technology available for people with low vision. He also demonstrated how low vision technology can help one to read, write, see loved ones, as well as work and enjoy hobbies. Services for Independent Living, nonprofit disability organization in Columbia, Missouri hosted the event with the Missouri AgrAbility Project co-sponsoring.

August 8 through August 18, University of Missouri Extension AgrAbility staff members went to the State Fair with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Labor, and Missouri Farm Bureau. The Show Me Missouri Farm Safety collaborative partnership again used the University of Missouri Extension, Missouri AgrAbility interactive disability, health, safety, and prevention hands-on displays. For two weeks the Show Me Missouri Farm Safety partnership displayed in the Agriculture Building.

University of Missouri Health Care, MU School of Medicine, and Missouri AgrAbility Project also sponsored several community health events and interactive displays at the Missouri State Fair, including free skin cancer screenings of exposed skin. The following events took place at MU Health Care’s booth in the Mizzou Central area of the MO-Ag Theatre, located near the fair’s Centennial Entrance. MU Health Care staff and physicians were onsite and available during the fair to provide information and education about:

• Automobile safety by Frank L. Mitchell Jr., M.D., Trauma Center and organ transplantation by Midwest Transplant Network
• Injury prevention by Frank L. Mitchell Jr., M.D., Trauma Center
• Distracted driving prevention by the Staff for Life Helicopter Service and organ transplantation by Midwest Transplant Network
• Organ transplantation by Midwest Transplant Network staff and medical research by MU School of Medicine
• Organ transplantation by Midwest Transplant Network staff and geriatric health and tobacco cessation by family and community medicine staff
• Automobile safety by Frank L. Mitchell Jr., M.D., Trauma Center
• Skin health by dermatology staff; children's physical and occupational therapy by MU Children's Hospital staff; and Ellis Fischel Cancer Center and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
• Children's physical and occupational therapy by MU Children's Hospital staff, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
• Children's poison prevention, youth tobacco prevention and colorectal cancer prevention by Missouri Digestive Health Center
• Farmers and ranchers prevention of secondary injuries, disability, health, and safety resources by Missouri AgrAbility Project

On August 11, the UMKC School of Pharmacy on the MU campus participated in the Mizzou Central area of the MO-Ag Theatre with the University of Missouri, College of Agriculture, and Missouri AgrAbility Project at the Missouri State Fair. PharmD students attended and provided health education, health screenings, and passed out health resources. Five nine foot tables were set with AgrAbility health information for fair-goers along with educational videos projected on the big screen behind their booths. In total, 19 American Pharmacist Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) students and two of their faculty supervisors screened and/or educated over 800 State fairgoers about high blood pressure, blood sugar, immunizations, heartburn awareness, prescription drug abuse, and world hunger. Fairgoers with very high blood sugar and blood pressure were referred to see primary care for follow-up as well as educated about alarming symptoms and when to seek urgent care. The University of Missouri School of Pharmacy on the MU campus and Missouri AgrAbility Project significantly helped Missouri farmers and ranchers in the following areas by PharmD students:

• Diabetes: 105 were educated and screened for high blood sugar (5 patients were referred to primary care)
• Heart health: 98 were educated and screened for high blood pressure; 127 educated on heart health (5 patients were referred for primary care/urgent care)
• 22 were educated on world hunger and Numana initiative
• 60 were educated on the importance of immunizations
• Heartburn: 112 were counseled and received educational materials; 90 just took educational material
• Generation Rx: 206 patients were educated in prescription drug abuse and poison prevention
• AgrAbility: over 800 fairgoers took resource materials

On August 13 AgrAbility staff participated in the Networking Call; on August 19 University of Missouri Extension and Brain Injury Association of Missouri AgrAbility staff members participated in the AgrAbility All-Staff call; and on August 27 Missouri AgrAbility staff participated in the Arthritis COI Call.

Missouri AgrAbility updated their statewide AgrAbility Project: a Client Demographic Database. Diana Hammonds, programmer analyst, MU Extension Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA), worked with nonprofit disability organizations and University AgrAbility staff members to develop the program's newest database system. The AgrAbility database system allows all staff members to collect, store, retrieve, and report on AgrAbility client demographic data. The user-friendly AgrAbility Project: Client Demographic Database has Missouri specific drop down menus with required National coding. Missouri’s database also has the capacity to collect, store, retrieve, and report on USDA-NIFA educating, networking, and marketing AgrAbility priorities as needed.

Submitted by Karen Funkenbusch