URI students bring interdisciplinary health education to SKHS

University of Rhode Island students from the Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences impartedsome health wisdom on younger students during an interactive health and wellness fair at South Kingstown High School Dec. 6.

About 70 URI students helped educate high school students during an interprofessional presentation involvingthe departments of nutrition, physical therapy and audiology, in addition to nursing and pharmacy. The students prepared interactive activities and games that tackled such topics as substance misuse, nutrition, injury prevention, sexual health, and mental and emotional health.

The URI students conducted hearing tests to determine participants’ ear age, tested their grip strength, and led a game of “injury prevention Jenga,” in which players performed the stretching
exercise or physical activity listed on the piece they pulled from the tower. They imparted nutritional information about caffeine intake and sports supplements, and offered advice on anxiety, contraception, drinking, dating violence and more. The students organized games to play with their high school counterparts, including a trivia game on dangerous sun exposure, and cornhole while wearing glasses to simulate the effects of cannabis on coordination, all
with the goal of interacting with the high school students while helping them lead healthier lives.

The students from the three colleges worked together in the weeks leading up to the health fair to prepare their presentations, often working with students from other health disciplines.
The result was a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program that helped educate the high school students, as well as themselves.

“This is an interprofessional event to give students in many health disciplines the chance to work in an adolescent environment and help teach high school students about health,” said
pharmacy Professor Kelly Matson, one of the event’s organizers.