Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic

Introduction: The 2020 pandemic of coronavirus-19 (COVID) resulted in declaration of states of emergency, leading to mandatory lock downs. Healthcare entered an unprecedented time as all elective procedures, some routine office visits, and screening efforts stopped with only life-saving services av...

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Main Authors: James Dodds, Tanner Smith, Elizabeth Lyons, Nicholas Duncan, William J. Crump
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing 2025-04-01
Series:Journal of Regional Medical Campuses
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Online Access:https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/jrmc/article/view/6357
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author James Dodds
Tanner Smith
Elizabeth Lyons
Nicholas Duncan
William J. Crump
author_facet James Dodds
Tanner Smith
Elizabeth Lyons
Nicholas Duncan
William J. Crump
author_sort James Dodds
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The 2020 pandemic of coronavirus-19 (COVID) resulted in declaration of states of emergency, leading to mandatory lock downs. Healthcare entered an unprecedented time as all elective procedures, some routine office visits, and screening efforts stopped with only life-saving services available. This study compared community cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening results before and after the cessation of the screenings required by pandemic limitations. Methods: Under the supervision of a regional dean, clinical medical students hosted CVD screenings in a rural Western Kentucky community at food banks, homeless shelters, and community resource fairs from 2017 through the present. Measurements included blood pressure and fingerstick total cholesterol and blood glucose. Abnormal results were followed up with an “on-the-spot” telehealth appointment or participants were referred to community health resources including the student-directed in-person free clinic. Measurements were compared pre- and post- COVID using chi-square. Findings: Both those with a previous diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes mellitus as well as the entire screened population showed a significant increase in frequency of CVD risk values post-COVID. Those with a previous diagnosis of hyperlipidemia showed no difference, but for the entire screened population, there was a significant 25% decrease in abnormal values for total cholesterol. Conclusions: Post-COVID CV risk values were significantly increased in this screened population. As our health system continues to recover, these results further support the importance of careful community-wide planning before the next pandemic occurs.
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spelling doaj-art-594cf32740684fa980ac9fcf3d7233c82025-08-20T03:25:41ZengUniversity of Minnesota Libraries PublishingJournal of Regional Medical Campuses2576-55582025-04-018110.24926/jrmc.v8i1.6357Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a PandemicJames DoddsTanner SmithElizabeth LyonsNicholas DuncanWilliam J. Crump0Univeristy of Louisville School of Medicine Trover Campus at Baptist Health Madisonville Introduction: The 2020 pandemic of coronavirus-19 (COVID) resulted in declaration of states of emergency, leading to mandatory lock downs. Healthcare entered an unprecedented time as all elective procedures, some routine office visits, and screening efforts stopped with only life-saving services available. This study compared community cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening results before and after the cessation of the screenings required by pandemic limitations. Methods: Under the supervision of a regional dean, clinical medical students hosted CVD screenings in a rural Western Kentucky community at food banks, homeless shelters, and community resource fairs from 2017 through the present. Measurements included blood pressure and fingerstick total cholesterol and blood glucose. Abnormal results were followed up with an “on-the-spot” telehealth appointment or participants were referred to community health resources including the student-directed in-person free clinic. Measurements were compared pre- and post- COVID using chi-square. Findings: Both those with a previous diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes mellitus as well as the entire screened population showed a significant increase in frequency of CVD risk values post-COVID. Those with a previous diagnosis of hyperlipidemia showed no difference, but for the entire screened population, there was a significant 25% decrease in abnormal values for total cholesterol. Conclusions: Post-COVID CV risk values were significantly increased in this screened population. As our health system continues to recover, these results further support the importance of careful community-wide planning before the next pandemic occurs. https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/jrmc/article/view/6357cv screenngcommunity engagementcommunity screening
spellingShingle James Dodds
Tanner Smith
Elizabeth Lyons
Nicholas Duncan
William J. Crump
Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic
Journal of Regional Medical Campuses
cv screenng
community engagement
community screening
title Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic
title_full Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic
title_fullStr Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic
title_short Student-Directed Community Cardiovascular Screening at a Regional Campus - Before and After a Pandemic
title_sort student directed community cardiovascular screening at a regional campus before and after a pandemic
topic cv screenng
community engagement
community screening
url https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/jrmc/article/view/6357
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AT elizabethlyons studentdirectedcommunitycardiovascularscreeningataregionalcampusbeforeandafterapandemic
AT nicholasduncan studentdirectedcommunitycardiovascularscreeningataregionalcampusbeforeandafterapandemic
AT williamjcrump studentdirectedcommunitycardiovascularscreeningataregionalcampusbeforeandafterapandemic