Tractors and health care

Jun. 24—OSKALOOSA — With a gauze bandage around the crook of his arm from getting blood drawn before, Daryl Scott stood out by the tractors waiting for the big ride to start.

"Needles don't bother me," Scott said. "I'm here for it all."

Scott, 74, Oskaloosa, was one of dozens of people to show up for Mahaska Health Partnership's fifth annual Men's Health Event and Tractor Ride at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds Saturday morning.

There were more than 15 tractors lined up in the parking lot. Inside the nearby exhibit hall, different health screening stations were set up.

Lab Services had a table to do blood draws to screen for cholesterol and prostate-specific antigens, which can indicate the presence of cancer.

Dietitians had a table to check blood sugar. Cardiology, sleep medicine and medical equipment specialists were on hand to distribute information.

Scott and his friend, Duane Van Veldhuizen, 64, of New Sharon, both brought their tractors to the event for the ride.

The men's health event, part of Men's Health Month, is designed to draw in the rural population, typically one of the hardest groups to reach in health care, said Renee Edgar, a registered nurse and clinical communications director at Mahaska Health.

Overall, more than 30 health screenings were done Saturday, up from 25 last year, Edgar said. All stations saw an uptick in visitors from last year. Mahaska Health also gave away shirts, hats, cooling towels and other items to participants.

Dr. Aaron Smith, a urologist at Mahaska Health, said although rural residents are the target of the event, anybody could come for a free health screening.

"I'm here because I'm a 46-year-old male," Smith said. "I took advantage of everything they had today."

Events like this are needed, Smith said. Too often, patients already have "super high" antigens by the time he sees them because they were not caught early through a checkup or health screening.

"I have a real sadness about that," Smith said.

"They don't come to stuff like this, unfortunately. Because you know that there's a whole crash-them-up derby of people that should have this stuff done," Smith said, referring to other people using the fairgrounds during the event.

The men's health event may also make doctors more approachable, taking them out of their white coats and hospital setting, Smith said. "Here we are at the fairgrounds, riding tractors, giving away shirts and stuff."

The men's health event was held from 8 a.m. to noon, with Mahaska County Cattlemen's Association serving up burgers at the end.

Jeff Wilford is a staff writer for the Oskaloosa Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].