The Mobile Health Services for Rural Kentucky project was a program designed to reduce premature death due to heart disease and other preventable diseases among residents of eight rural Eastern Kentucky counties within the Kings Daughters Medical Center catchment area. In order to accomplish this, the program aimed to increase access to health care, increase knowledge of controllable risk factors for heart disease, reduce unhealthy behaviors, and improve health outcomes.
This study looked at the implementation of the program and outcomes for participants. Funding ended for the evaluator in September of 2013, and therefore only implementation findings and preliminary outcomes were reported.
The study found that:
- 50 heart and vascular screening days were held in 29 sites, screening a total of 678 unique individuals;
- 51 percent were found to have elevated levels of blood pressure, cholesterol and/or blood sugar; 18 percent were marked for needing follow-up care;
- 1091 unique individuals received a cardiac test; 95 percent had never received this test through the program before; and
- 8 percent of those followed up with for additional care confirmed that they saw their healthcare provider.
Full report
Further information
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky