For nearly two decades, public health professionals have united
communities nationwide each April to celebrate National Public Health Week.
Every year, NPHW uses a unique theme to explore and share public health with
our communities. While the theme may change from year to year, our core
commitment to public health and prevention has remained unchanged.
This year, NPHW 2014 will take place from April 7–13 and focus on
guiding communities through the evolving public health system with the theme
“Public Health: Start Here.”
The public health system that keeps our communities healthy and
safe is changing as technologies advance, public attitudes toward health shift
and more health and safety options become available through policy changes such
as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Public health professionals are the guides of
this system, helping our communities navigate the many choices along the way.
National Public Health Week 2014 provides the perfect opportunity
to show communities how to take the first steps toward achieving good personal
health and learning how public health affects their lives. Most people don’t
realize the connection between personal and public health, and through NPHW
2014 activities, public health professionals are given the chance to engage
with the community to explain how personal and public health are connected.
This event aims to highlight
public health achievements and also improve the general health of the American
people, by educating the public about various health issues and how they can
live longer lives.
Around 2.5 billion work days are
lost due to illness every year, with an estimated fall in productivity of $1
trillion. By improving the health of the nation, people’s lives will improve
and the country will continue to prosper.
Through health education, health
awareness campaigns can reduce the effects and consequences of many health
conditions and diseases by preventing their onset or tackling any symptoms or
issues early on. Good personal health is
connected to good public health. Each individual has an impact on the health of
the nation. The public health system that keeps our communities healthy and
safe is not only expansive, it is also evolving.
With more choices available than
ever before, our communities have more opportunities to achieve and maintain
good health. But this wide variety of health choices can also be overwhelming.
More than ever, public health and clinical health professionals must join
forces to help communities navigate the changing system and it begins by
showing them where to start.
Public health
professionals and organizations are the key to empowering people to participate
in this exciting evolution of the public health system to improve the health
and wellness of the whole community.
NPHW 2014 breaks down
these changes into daily themes to make the transition easy to understand and
navigate.
Monday,
April 7: Be healthy
from the start. From maternal health and school nutrition to emergency
preparedness, public health starts at home. Let us show you around.
Tuesday,
April 8: Don’t panic.
Disaster preparedness starts with community-wide commitment and action. We’re
here to help you weather the unexpected.
Wednesday,
April 9: Get out
ahead. Prevention is now a nationwide priority. Let us show you where you fit
in.
Thursday,
April 10: Eat well.
The system that keeps our nation’s food safe and healthy is complex. We can
guide you through the choices.
Friday,
April 11: Be the
healthiest nation in one generation. Best practices for community health come
from around the globe. We have a world of public health to show you.
Source: National Public Health Week Toolkit
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