INShape minority health fair helps many

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - When you lose your job, you often lose your health insurance. So for thousands of Hoosiers, the INShape Indiana Black and Minority Health Fair at Indiana Black Expo provides much needed access to care.

Karen Graves attended the job fair Thursday afternoon, and then attended the health fair Thursday evening. When she was laid off from her manufacturing job in 2009, she never thought she'd be looking for work for two years.

"It's been very hard, very hard for me for my family," she said.

Statistics show that more African-Americans are unemployed for longer periods of time than their white counterparts.

Nationally, the unemployment rate in June for the general population was 9.1 percent. But for African-Americans it was 16.2 percent.

In Indiana, the average unemployment rate last year was 10.1 percent, but for African-Americans it was 19.8 percent.

Graves lost her health insurance when she lost her job, and she said she has cut back on medical expenses.

"I've been trying not to go to the doctor as much. I've been trying to eat healthy so I won't have to go out there and make a bill for myself, and stay out of debt," she said.

That's why she and others are taking advantage of the health screenings offered at the health fair valued at more than a thousand dollars. All screenings are offered at no cost to attendees.

The tests include screenings for blood sugar, cholesterol, kidneys, prostate cancer, sickle cell, HIV/AIDS and more.

Taking part is easy. Participants can sign up at the Indiana Convention Center through Sunday.

WISH-TV is a sponsor of the health fair .