National Public Health Week – April 4-10, 2016

Follow and join the conversation with #NPHW and #publichealth.

In 1995, President Bill Clinton proclaimed the first full week of April as National Public Health Week (@NPHW). Ever since that day the American Public Health Association (@PublicHealth) has served as the organizer for #NPHW.  For over 20 years now the APHA has worked to develop national campaigns to educate the public, policymakers and practitioners during the week about issues related to the theme. Every state celebrates NPHW through different gatherings and events and the APHA creates new materials each year that are used to raise awareness about public health and prevention. Communities across the nation come together to observe National Public Health Week as a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our country.

About The American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association was founded in 1872. The Association works to champion the health of all people and communities, and to strengthen the public health profession. The APHA is an organization that has over 140 years of experience which they use to speak out for public health issues and policies backed by science and to influence federal policy. Along with these efforts, the APHA has also campaigned to develop well-organized health departments at both the federal and local levels. Their vision is to “create the healthiest nation in one generation.” APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, says, “We all deserve access to a culture of health – living as long as you can, as well as you can and having a short but glorious ending. It also means having a system in place that ensures we can all achieve it.”

Creating the Healthiest Nation 2030
Due greatly to the work of the APHA, Americans are living 20 years longer than their grandparents’ generation. However, people in many other high income countries live longer and suffer fewer health issues than we do. Studies show that even wealthy, highly educated Americans with access to quality care suffer a health disadvantage to peers in other high-income countries. This is the defining challenge of our generation. That’s why, during National Public Health Week 2016, Generation Public Health is rallying around a goal of making the U.S. the Healthiest Nation in One Generation — by 2030. This year NPHW will strive to create a new groundswell of support for the changes that must be made within our health system to realize this goal.

Get Involved
To celebrate National Public Health Week 2016 visit the NPHW site and access their NPHW toolkit. There you will find and can download a wealth of promotional materials, ideas for events, and ways to involve your community, schools. and workplaces. The site also lists events happening all over the country so you can find a way to participate near you!