New fact sheets can help you plan for NPHW

Today’s post is by Robert Lotzar, former National Public Health Week fellow at the American Public Health Association.

How can you start planning your National Public Health Week now? Use APHA’s fact sheets! As we approach the first week of April, the new fact sheets are an important resource that will help you make the most of NPHW. The fact sheets can be found on NPHW.org.

NPHW is a national campaign to celebrate the contributions of public health and motivate communities on the path to creating the healthiest nation. This year’s NPHW, held April 1-7, has a theme of “Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. For health.” Each day of NPHW focuses on a particular public health topic. This year those issues are healthy communities, violence prevention, rural health, technology and public health, climate change and global health.

Each fact sheet begins by discussing the science behind one of the health issues. Each sheet gives examples of action people or communities can take to tackle the issues. Lastly, the sheets examine how people’s health can improve when the issues are addressed.

The fact sheets are designed to make taking steps toward building healthy communities easy and achievable. Everyone has the ability to positively effect change!

The fact sheets can be helpful in planning your NPHW because they discuss organized activities that can help make communities healthier. For instance, you could help organize local flu shot clinics, vote for policies that reduce climate change or host bystander intervention trainings. People can take action and join the movement in many ways.

The fact sheets are a stepping stone in your personal journey with NPHW. Connect on Twitter, and share an interesting or surprising piece of information you learned from the fact sheets. Your NPHW efforts help make our communities and nation healthier.