Heart and Lung Study brings free health screenings to Boyle and Garrard counties

Heart and Lung Study brings free health screenings to Boyle and Garrard counties

Published 9:00 pm Monday, October 6, 2025

DANVILLE, Ky. — Residents of Boyle and Garrard counties are being invited to take part in a national research effort aimed at improving understanding of heart and lung health among adults living in rural communities.

The Rural Heart and Lung Study, conducted locally through the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, is offering free health screenings and research participation for residents between the ages of 25 and 64. The project focuses on early detection of cardiovascular disease before symptoms appear and is part of a larger, four-state effort that also includes Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

The mobile exam unit for the study is currently stationed at Millennium Park in Danville, where researchers are conducting health assessments and collecting data. Exams began recently and will continue through the spring of next year. The unit operates on a rotating schedule of seven days on and seven days off, offering weekday, evening, and Saturday morning appointments. Transportation is also available for participants who need assistance getting to the site.

Researchers hope to enroll between 855 and 900 participants from Boyle and Garrard counties. The Kentucky portion of the project aims to recruit about 1,600 total participants, representing roughly 35 percent of the entire study’s sample. Earlier phases in other states have already enrolled more than 3,500 individuals.

The study examines what scientists call “subclinical cardiovascular disease,” which refers to changes in the body that occur before outward symptoms develop. By identifying early risk factors and patterns, researchers hope to better understand why cardiovascular disease appears earlier in some people and how those risks may differ in rural populations. The long-term goal is to use the data to improve prevention, education, and community health resources.

Participants receive free, physician-reviewed health assessments, and any results requiring follow-up are communicated within 24 hours. Each participant receives a $75 Visa gift card upon completion of the baseline survey. The study also tracks heart rate variability and sleep patterns through wearable fitness devices, and participants who complete brief follow-up questionnaires at one month, three months, and six months receive additional incentives.

Although identifying information is collected for study management, researchers report findings only in group format, focusing on community-level health data such as percentages and trends rather than individual results.

Residents interested in joining can visit ruralstudy.org to fill out an online interest form and confirm eligibility. Updates about local study activities are shared on Instagram at @RuralStudyKentucky and on Facebook under Rural Heart and Lung Study – Kentucky Corps. Those without internet access can call 1-888-RURAL-ST for more information or to register.

The project has been ongoing since 2019, when the study first received funding and selected Boyle and Garrard counties as enrollment sites. Researchers have worked to build relationships with local residents through community outreach, emphasizing early prevention and education.

A recent community open house at Millennium Park helped introduce the study with food trucks and family activities. While those features were part of a kickoff event, the focus now remains on screenings and ongoing research to strengthen local and national understanding of heart and lung health in rural America.