Since 1995, when the first full week of April was declared as National Public Health Week (NPHW), communities across the country have celebrated NPHW to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the public’s health.
National Public Health Week is sponsored by the American Public Health Association who develops a national campaign to educate the public about issues related to each year’s theme.
The theme for 2012 is “A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement!” which was celebrated April 2-8, 2012.
This year’s activities featured several events including a Public Health Week Kick-off, a Public Health Week Display in the County Hall of Administration, and other fun and educational activities. For a complete schedule of Public Health Week activities, please visit our Calendar of Events page.
This year, with the recent release of the National Prevention Strategy, we will address the issue of prevention and wellness to ensure that all is being done to improve our nation’s health.
Every year, chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are responsible for millions of premature deaths. Americans miss 2.5 billion days of work because of these illnesses, and all of that lost productivity adds up to more than $1 trillion. Injuries, unexpected accidents and violence affect people daily in all aspects of life. Unintentional injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, poisonings, and burns rank among the top 10 causes of death for people aged 44 and younger.
Catching and preventing these illnesses and incidents before they develop is the key to improving our nation’s health. There are so many small steps we can take to begin leading healthier lives; sometimes it just takes a little motivation.
Uniting around this year’s theme of A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement, we can work to encourage more Americans and their communities to take preventive measures to help improve their lives. Little steps can lead to big changes.
Careers in Public Health
The Public Health field is an exciting and growing career area that challenges professionals to confront complex health issues such as controlling infectious disease, reducing environmental hazards and improving access to health care. It is a diverse and energetic field that uses professionals from varying educational backgrounds offering them a range of career choices in a variety of specialty areas. Take a look at our Public Health…Real People Making a Real Difference brochure and meet some of our Public Health staff who obtain great personal fulfillment as they work toward improving the health and well-being of the community.
