2008 National Public Health Week Observance is April 7-13

By Anonymous

WITH the 2008 National Public Health Week celebration just a month away, now is the perfect time to download the many resources APHA is offering to help organizers bring local and national attention to this year’s theme: “Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.” Every year, hundreds of public health workers from around the nation bring their communities together to raise awareness of a pressing public health topic, whether it be through offering free health screenings, organizing health fairs or promoting art contests for elementary students. This year’s National Public Health Week, to take place April 7-13, is sure to be no different. For APHA, in particular, the upcoming week marks the continuation of the Association’s efforts to bring the voice of public health into the climate change discussion.

“Public health workers have long known that our health is intrinsically tied to our environments, and climate change is no exception,” said APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E).

Planning tools are available now on the official National Public Health Week Web site, online at www.nphw.org. Organizers can download a National Public Health Week 2008 toolkit, which includes a planning guide for local events, facts sheets on climate change and health, tips on working with the media, a sample news release and letter to the editor, and advice on engaging sponsors, among many other items. Visitors to the Web site can also download a brochure about this year’s theme, access National Public Health Week logos, submit their events into a national calendar as well as read and subscribe to the National Public Health Week blog, which is updated weekly.

Organizers can show their support for National Public Health Week by signing up for free to be an event partner. In fact, in January, almost 100 representatives from organizations around the country took part in a National Public Health Week partners meeting in person and via phone at APHAs headquarters in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, attendees talked with APHA staff about what they could do during National Public Health Week to raise awareness of climate change and health. Also, in February, APHA hosted a virtual summit of public health researchers and experts who were charged with developing recommendations on how public health should respond to the issue of climate change. The recommendations will be available soon on the National Public Health Week Web site.

National Public Health Week organizers are urged to submit details and photos from their events by April 25 to The Nation’s Health newspaper, which publishes a summary of National Public Health Week events each year. Look for detailed submission guidelines in next month’s issue of The Nation’s Health.

For more information on National Public Health Week and climate change, visit www.nphw.org.

Copyright American Public Health Association Mar 2008

(c) 2008 Nation’s Health, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.