Each year, the American Public Health Association dedicates the first week of April to “National Public Health Week” (NPHW). The purpose of this week is to reiterate the fact that everyone deserves to live a long and healthy life in a safe environment. To make that possible, we need to address the causes of poor health and diseases among individuals and within our communities.
This week is dedicated to focusing on ways the nation’s health can be improved by identifying public health issues and educating consumers on how to make better healthcare decisions. NPHW focuses on the following goals:
- Building a nation of safe, healthy communities
- Helping all young people graduate from high school
- Giving everyone a chance to eat safe, healthy foods
- Avoiding use of drugs, tobacco and excessive alcohol
During each day of National Public Health Week the focus is on a particular public health topic. This year the topics are as follows:
Monday:Healthy Communities
Tuesday:Violence Prevention
Wednesday:Rural Health
Thursday:Technology and Public Health
Friday:Climate Change
Saturday & Sunday:Global Health
In addition to these topics, National Public Health Week 2019 is hosting multiple events including “The Billion Steps Challenge” where you can join a team to help reach 1 billion steps by the first week of April and also the “Annual Twitter Chat” which promotes a conversation with health leaders from around the country.
We all have a responsibility to the health of our community and our country. Visit http://www.nphw.org/ to learn more about how you can participate in National Public Health Week 2019!
