Extension
It Starts With Us
Healthy life style choices make for a happy, healthy life
Healthy and Safety
Sherrill Bentley, Philip Konopka, Christa O'Cull
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Active Living and Health Promotions General
LEAP
Health
Lewis County ranks 100 of 120 Kentucky counties according to the County Health rankings roadmap. The county has a high poverty level and ranks high in major diseases with stroke and cancer being high. According to the Centers for Disease Control website Kentucky has the second highest adult obesity rate in the nation and according to on-line source Kentucky Health News, Kentucky children age 10 to 17 have the nation’s highest rate for that age group. Obesity leads to many other health issues including diabetes and heart disease.
Pesticide exposure poses risks of short and long term illness to farmworkers and their families in Lewis County. Pesticide handlers, those who mix, load, or apply agricultural pesticides; clean or repair pesticide application equipment; or assist with the application of pesticides in any way are at an increased risk of exposure to dangerous and toxic chemicals which can cause illness or dangerous long term effects.
According to https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/ Kentucky ranked in the top 5 states for ATV deaths. According to modernfarmer.com "Tractor rollovers, Grain suffocation, Deadly fumes, Goring, Electrocution, and Heatstroke. Farming is one of the deadliest professions in the world."
By using preventive measures, following medical recommendations, exercising, making healthier food choices, and following safety protocols Lewis Countians will lead a more healthy, safe and injury free life.
-Adults and youth maintain positive, healthy habits, decreasing their risk for serious injury, diseases, and illness.
-Early detection of illness and diseases results in preventing advancement of diseases to later stages where it is untreatable or even fatal.
-Skin cancer decreases in adults because of long term practices used to prevent sunburn.
-Bullying incidents at school decrease.
-Obesity rates will decrease in youth and adults because of following dietary guidelines and increased physical activity
-Farmers utilize personal protective equipment while mixing and applying pesticides.
-Farmers are correctly handling and applying pesticides
-Loggers are utilizing proper safety equipment to prevent injuries
-Youth are using the Safety practices taught to prevent injury while using outdoor equipment
-Youth are using safety practices taught to prevent sunburn.
-Youth use safety practices taught to keep themselves safe when they are caring for themselves while home alone.
-Youth are able to treat injuries and stop choking.
-Youth practice techniques taught to stop and prevent bullying.
-Adults with health related issues will take advantage of mobile units that come into the county to offer free or reduced cost screenings.
-Youth and adults will eat more fruits and vegetable and follow proper dietary guidelines
-Youth and adults can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from the local farmers market using incentive programs which is SFMNP (Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program) and WIC FMNP vouchers and Kids Bucks.
-Youth and adults will practice proper handwashing procedures which will prevent illness.
-Youth and adults will increase their physical activities.
-Farmers learn how to apply pesticide correctly and safely
-Youth learn safety practices to prevent injuries while using outdoor equipment
-Youth learn safety practices to prevent sunburn
-Youth learn safety practices to be safe while home alone
-Youth learn first aid practices to help treat injuries and stop choking
-Youth learn how to prevent and stop bullying
-Individuals learn how to practices preventative health measures such as utilizing yearly screening and proper hand washing
-Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders learn about my plate, dietary guidelines, the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, and exercise
-Adults participate in educational workshops, learning how to eat more nutritious and be physically active and will apply principals they learn in their daily life.
Initial Outcome:Farmers and loggers attend workshops and learn safety practices
Indicator: Participants self report what they learned
Method: Self report
Timeline: Fall 2023
Initial Outcome: -Youth learn safety practices to prevent sunburn, treat injuries, stop choking, prevent and stop bullying and to be safe while at home alone.
Indicator: Youth are able to answer question correctly on what they have learned through a survey
Method: Survey questionnaire
Timeline: Spring 2024
Initial Outcome: Adults, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders learn my plate dietary recommendations, food safety, as well as exercise with an emphasis of increasing their fruit and vegetable intake. Adults will also learn resource management so they are able to purchase more healthy foods with provided benefits.
Indicator: Participants will answer a survey and self reporting questionnaires
Method: Paper surveys
Timeline: Fall 2023Spring 2024
Initial Outcome: Adults will take advantage of free or reduced health screenings, learn preventive health measures, adults and youth will learn proper hand washing and food handling procedures
Indicator: Participation rates of screening held at Extension Programs
Method: Sign-in sheets
Timeline: Fall 2024
Intermediate Outcome: Farmers and loggers utilize procedures taught along with using proper equipment to prevent injury and illness
Indicator: Farmers and Loggers report they are utilizing procedures taught along with using proper equipment to prevent injury and illness
Method: Self reporting
Timeline: Fall 2024
Intermediate Outcome: Youth are using sunscreen, able to treat injuries, stop choking, and stop and prevent bullying
Indicator: Self reporting through a survey
Method: Survey
Timeline: Spring 2024
Intermediate Outcome: Youth and adults increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat and increase their physical activity
Indicator: Self reporting
Method: Questionnaire
Timeline: Spring 2024
Intermediate Outcome: Illness and diseases will be detected in the early stages
Indicator: Self reporting by individuals
Method: Interviews of participants in mobile screenings and awareness raised by annual lunches
Timeline: Spring of 2024
Long-term Outcome: Adults and youth maintain positive, healthy habits, decreasing their risk for serious injury, diseases, and illness.
Indicator: Fewer youth and adults have long term chronic health issues
Method: CDC reports
Timeline: Summer 2024
Long-term Outcome: Schools have fewer incidents of bullying creating a more harmonious atmosphere..
Indicator: Bullying incidents decrease at schools
Method: Reports by school principal, guidance counselor and Youth Services Center Director.
Timeline: Summer 2024
Long-term Outcome: -Skin cancer decreases in adults because of long term practices used to prevent sunburn.
Indicator: Fewer adults are diagnosed with skin cancer
Method: CDC reports
Timeline: Summer 2024
Long-term Outcome: Obesity rates will decrease in youth and adults because of following dietary guidelines and increased physical activity
Indicator: Reduce obesity levels below 40% for Lewis County
Method: CDC reports
Timeline: Summer 2024
Long-term Outcome: -Early detection of illness and diseases results in preventing advancement of diseases to later stages where it is untreatable or even fatal.
Indicator: Disease are prevented or detected in the early stages and fewer people have detection of disease in the late stages
Method: CDC reports
Timeline: Summer 2024
Audience: Farmers and Loggers
Project or Activity: Pesticide training's and Master Logger CEU's
Content or Curriculum: Applying Pesticides Correctly, Master Logger curriculum
Inputs: Agents time, curriculum, specialist from UK, computer, projector, Extension Office facilities
Date: Spring 2024
Audience: Lewis County Elementary youth
Project or Activity: Health and Safety Day, Farm to Plate, Code Name: Home Alone
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H ATV safety material, Red Cross material on choking and first aid, project Code Name: Home Alone, and Material from the 4-H Youth Livestock kit.
Inputs: Agents time, volunteers, program assistants, SNAP assistant, Farm Bureau donations and time, curriculum, local physicians, and Health Department, local farm equipment dealerships, Electric Coops, and Sun Safety curriculum
Date: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024
Audience: Lewis County Adults and children
Project or Activity: Homemaker lessons and activities, Farmers Market Programs, Professor Popcorn lessons, Mobile Health screening units
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up, Kids Bucks, Farmers Market sampling, and Professor Popcorn, Mobile Health screening units, Discover My Plate, and Leap
Inputs: Farm Bureau sponsorship of Kids Bucks, agents, program assistants, Farmers Market, SNAP incentives, local grocery stores, curriculum, Primary Plus, and SOMC
Date: Summer and Fall 2023
Author: Christa O'Cull
Major Program: LEAP
The problem - Young children are often reluctant to try a new food. It might not have the same color, shape, or texture of a food common to them. We introduced pumpkin in different forms to 5 Headstart classrooms (4 year olds). The educational program response - Our Staff Assistant went with me to the classrooms and we shared reading the book The Biggest Pumpkin Ever to each class. We drew out different details that the book introduced and asked pertinent questions that 4
Author: Glenna Bentley
Major Program: Health
The problemThe Lewis County Extension Service conducted a program on Bullying at the Lewis County Middle School with 7th and 8th grade students. The program is done each year but was started because the principal and guidance counselor requested it and continue to want the program taught each year. They want the program to continue because bullying is a consistent problem at the school. Another reason is because of a teen suicide that happened in another county close to Lewis County years
Author: Christa O'Cull
Major Program: Child Development General
The problem - Lewis County has limited programs for pre-school aged children.The educational program response - Laugh and Learn is a University of Kentucky research based program designed to meet the educational needs of two, three, and four year olds. 6 children are currently enrolled with our program held at the Lewis County Public Library.The participants/target audience - Lewis County children age 2-4 are invited to participate in Laugh & Learn. We have posted in our FCS newsletter
Author: Christa O'Cull
Major Program: Cook Together, Eat Together
The problem - Families do not typically cook together nor do they eat together. High the escalating costs of dining out, more families are realizing how important it is to buy healthy foods, cook together as a family and be together to eat.The educational program response - Everyone appeared to be excited to not only learn a new extremely simple recipe, but see it made right in front of them. All the materials were cleaned/sliced/ready to prepare dish and participants were able to wa
Author: Christa O'Cull
Major Program: Building Healthy Coalitions
The problem - With the unemployment rate of 9.9% (US Census 2020) in Lewis County, folks need assistance with the items needed to get a newborn safely home and comfortable. The educational program response - The initiatives of Family and Consumer Science and Family Resource & Youth Services Centers are extremely similar so we were able to encourage making healthy lifestyle choices, nurturing families and promoting healthy homes and communities with this outreach we did. The parti
