On Sept. 27, approximately 70 children ages 9 - 13 and their families attended the Healthy Hoops Kentucky Tip-Off event, a free program that uses basketball and fun to focus on the needs of kids with asthma. SPHIS faculty and students assisted with the screening process, collecting quality of life data from attendees to expand the health assessment of children with asthma.

Marceline Coots, Program Manager for Healthy Hoops Kentucky, reported that the Tip-Off event was a great success. There was good turnout and positive feedback from participants; medical interventions were administered to improve pulmonary function; and the event had outstanding support from the local basketball community, including coaches and players from UofL, Spalding, Bellarmine and Indiana University Southeast.

"Community-focused health projects like this help us bring university expertise to the community and, in-turn, the community helps our students and faculty gain insight into real-world applications of what they’re teaching and learning,” said Bob Esterhay, Chair of the Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences.

SPHIS participants included faculty members: Susan Olsen-Allen, Bob Esterhay, Scott LaJoie, John Myers and Rob Steiner; and MPH students: Yu-Ting Chen, Brian Van Hoose, J. Darcel Jackson, Haritha Pallam and Amy Sadler. Nathan Smith, an MPH student in health management, helped organize the event as part of his practicum with Healthy Hoops Kentucky.