Campaign for Preventive Services

In January 2010 ARIA Health, located in Philadelphia and Bucks County Pennsylvania, proposed a joint effort between the hospital and ARIA Health School of Nursing to increase the awareness of community based services in the Bridesburg and Port Richmond surrounding communities. This initiative was created due to the closure of Northeastern Hospital in June 2009, which serviced these two communities. Due to the closure of this hospital, many physicians left the area which led to a decrease in awareness of primary care services. During the assessment phase of these communities in October of 2010, it was found that the communities of Bridesburg and Port Richmond were not only an aging population, but had a lack of awareness primary preventive services within the community. In November 2010, St. Anne's Senior Center, was approached by ARIA Health to initiate preventive screenings and health education lectures regarding preventive services offered within the communities. Presently a series of preventive screenings and health education lectures presented by ARIA Health, geared toward the elderly population are scheduled at St. Anne's Senior Center bi-monthly. In addition to the bi-monthly screenings and lectures, a community based health fair is planned for the communities of Bridesburg and Port Richmond. This health fair will be utilized to increase awareness of community based health preventive services beyond the elderly population. In conclusion, it is recommended that public health nurses encourage health care organizations and communities to replicate programs such as these which will increase community awareness of primary preventive services.