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Home & Family: Welfare Reform

HEALTHWISE CONSUMER PROGRAMS

Extension Healthwise Consumer Programs are designed to help individuals and families become active partners in health care. The programs teach people how to organize health records, keep track of preventive services, manage minor health problems at home, and apply assertiveness and communication skills to health issues. The programs teach people how to detect disease early, manage minor health problems at home, and make the best use of health care dollars.

Good health makes it possible for families to become self-sufficient, allowing limited resources to be used for more tangible necessities than medical bills and sick care. Extension health programs, which focus on healthy behaviors and active consumerism, help families learn to use the health care system more wisely.

In order to reach more clients with information aimed at improved health status, Extension uses a variety of methods to train lay health volunteers, paraprofessionals and agency personnel. This train-the-trainer approach, along with quality educational materials, is a valuable asset in reaching limited-resource families.

PROGRAMS THAT WORK

Extension county professionals, volunteer networks, and area health agents provide health programming in all 82 counties, bringing the research and expertise of health education specialists at Mississippi State University and Alcorn State University to all areas of the state. The following programs have already reached more than 25,000 families, and can be implemented in groups, with individuals, or as home study.

Lessons include:

• Healthwise! Self Care -- health decision-making
• First Aid Made Simple -- first aid awareness
• Five Medicine Guidelines -- sound decisions about medications
• Choosing a Doctor and A Health Plan -- identifying choices in health care
• Organizing Your Health Care -- health records, prevention, and supplies
• Prepare for Emergencies -- recognize true emergencies
• Home Health Observations -- measure vital signs, observe and describe a health problem

CONTACT: Linda Patterson, R.N., M.S.N. Health Education Specialist lindap@humansci.msstate.edu Box 9745 Mississippi State, MS 39762 (662) 325-1798