Health advocates nationwide submitted details of their events to The Nation's Health in April, an alphabetical summary of which follows.
THE 2011 NATIONAL Public Health Week theme of 'Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free,' was a perfect fit for activities held across the nation, where health advocates reached out to community residents through helmet giveaways, safety demonstrations and other celebratory events from April 4-10.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health in BIRMINGHAM, ALA., hosted and participated in a variety of National Public Health Week events that supported research, teaching, prevention and public health awareness.
On Monday, April 4, the school offered free and confidential HIV testing provided by certified volunteers and partnered with the American Red Cross for an annual blood drive. Tuesday's events included a showcase of faculty, staff and student research during the Annual Public Health Research Day and a luncheon and poster session. Wednesday featured a celebration of a local public health hero who promotes the use of locally grown foods and a presentation by the Greater Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution, a group that speaks out for clean air.
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On Thursday of National Public Health Week, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Public Health Student Association hosted a panel of speakers on public health and injury as part of a seminar on 'Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free.' That evening a public service announcement and poster competition, Koronis-Fest, promoted public health communications.
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On Saturday, April 9, representatives from the school of public health volunteered at Birmingham's Project Homeless Connect, a one-day event sponsored by community leaders that provides housing, services and hospitality to the homeless in a one-stop format.
At the University of Alaska in ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, faculty and students from the master of public health program in the Department of Health Sciences planned and coordinated many safety-related events for National Public Health Week. Daily safety awareness announcements went out through a Facebook events page, via emails using multiple listserves and on postings on Blackboard, the school's distance education technology platform.
Displays across campus highlighted safety at home, at work and during sports and recreation and also spotlighted violence and injury prevention. The Alaska Health and Social Services Department's 'Kids Don't Float' program was emphasized in one display to promote awareness and increase the use of personal floatation devices. The display also included take-home materials and resources for children and families.
Local public health educators gave sessions on ergonomics in the workplace and boating safety, while a fitness instructor led a water dance session. The film 'Wipe Out: The Silent Epidemic of Brain Injury,' a documentary about head injuries common to young men who participate in extreme sports, drew a large audience.
The school's public health program hosted an open house to celebrate Public Health Student Day, when faculty, students and staff from across campus as well as community members received information on the new minor in public health and other topics.
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In IRVINE, CALIF., the 17th Annual Peace Day event attracted hundreds of participants on the first day of National Public Health Week 2011.
Sponsored by the International Health and Epidemiology Research Center in Sherman Oaks, Calif., the event gave children the opportunity to trade in toy guns and violent video games for certificates and awards. Children also created works of art with the collected toys and received educational materials on nonviolence.
For several weeks prior to the Peace Day event, the National Public Health Week theme of 'Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free,' with an emphasis on gun injuries, was spread via public service announcements on live radio interviews. Thousands of fliers and educational materials also were distributed in advance of the event.
The goal of Peace Day is to educate, raise awareness and re-sensitize children and youth about violence, especially gun violence. The International Health and Epidemiology Research Center also works to reduce and eventually eliminate the more than 30,000 yearly gun deaths and 100,000 gun related injuries nationwide, promote safety awareness and create a safer, violence-free and injury-free America and world.
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National Public Health Week activities at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health in LOMA LINDA, CALIF., featured members of the student association in the school of public health reaching out with safety messages to fellow students in the university's seven other professional schools. The effort coincided with the university-wide Week of Renewal, which brings the campus together for daily inspirational meetings. After the daily sessions, public health students were available outside the venue from April 4-7 to talk to peers about a different aspect of safety each day.
Outreach efforts also included student collaboration with community groups. For example, on Monday of National Public Health Week, students covered safety at home, featuring the local fire department, the Community Emergency Response Teams program, the United Way and the school of public health's Office of Public Health Practice. Tuesday focused on safety at work and featured information from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Safety at play was the topic on Wednesday, with activities that included a rock-climbing wall, yoga sessions and health assessments. Thursday was devoted to safety on the move and included traffic accident simulations. The school of public health held a banquet on April 7 to coincide both with National Public Health Week and World Health Day.
The California Department of Public Health in SACRAMENFO, CALIF., kicked off National Public Health Week by commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the health department's laboratory in Richmond, Calif. The celebration underscored the vital role the laboratory plays in enabling scientists to identify and track diseases and contaminations.
'As one of the largest public health facilities in the nation, the California Public Health Laboratory provides fundamental scientific services that directly protect the life of everyone in California,' said APHA member Howard Backer, MD, interim director of the California Department of Public Health. 'We welcome students to the facility to see how their studies can be applied to real-world health situations.'
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As part of the celebration, students from a local high school donned lab coats, goggles and gloves and toured behind the scenes at the laboratory, participating in experiments and exploring the state's mobile laboratory used to screen and identify suspected chemicals and radiation in environmental samples.
Public health officials credit the laboratory for playing an instrumental role in testing and virtually eradicating diseases such as smallpox, plague, polio, malaria and typhoid fever. Originally housed at the University of California Berkeley, the laboratory has been in existence since 1906 and moved to Richmond in 2001 to accommodate updated equipment and services. The facility is responsible for testing and research on numerous infections, environmental and genetic diseases including HIV/AIDS, influenza and cholera as well as foodborne organisms such as E. coli.
Staff at the Sacramento County Public Health Laboratory in SACRAMENFO, CALIF., showed some science-based humor during National Public Health Week with a potluck that included a homemade 'tuberculosis' cake shaped to appear like TB-causing bacteria.
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Other activities included a lab coat decorating contest and laboratory scavenger hunt. The lab regularly hosts informative lectures on emerging diseases and new and upcoming laboratory technology for partner laboratories in the community and took the opportunity of National Public Health Week to thank those other laboratories for their hard work.
In SAN DIEGO COFJNFY, CALIF., the San Diego Aquatic Council, Safe Kids San Diego and Independent Pool and Spa Service Association held seven April Pools' Day water safety events during National Public Health Week.
Held in cities throughout the county, the events featured mock lifeguard and fire department rescues, the opportunity to swim with a Navy SEAL, free swim lessons, water games and family fun. The goal of all the events was to educate community members on keeping children safe around swimming pools.
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The free April Pools' Day events were held at municipal pools, a private swim school and a family YMCA. Drowning is a public health concern particularly for children because more than one in five drowning victims are children ages 14 and younger, and for every child who dies from drowning, another four are treated in emergency departments for injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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In AURORA, COLO., Safe Kids Denver hosted a booth at the Cherry Creek School District's Family Wellness Summit at a local high school. The event featured health screenings during a health fair where members of Safe Kids Denver gave out more than 80 helmets and provided education on proper fit and use to prevent injuries, a key message during National Public Health Week. Helmet use could prevent up to 85 percent of head injuries and 88 percent of brain injuries. Youth, parents and other caregivers could visit the booth to learn about traumatic brain injuries and prevention.
At Children's Hospital in Aurora, Colo., the Safe Travel for All Children enrichment course, which was offered nationally to all certified child passenger safety technicians, was held during National Public Health Week. The course highlights best practices for transporting children with special needs.
Just prior to National Public Health Week, the Community Health Program in the Department of Public and Allied Health Sciences at Delaware State University hosted a health fair block party in the underserved community of CAPITOL PARK, DEL., just outside Dover.
The block party included table presentations on many health issues. One on blood pressure screening featured education on cardiovascular disease and healthy blood pressure levels as well as an educational session on how to use an automated blood pressure monitor. A table on better life choices included information on violence prevention and bullying as well as an advertisement for an upcoming two-week violence prevention program scheduled at the local community center. A table on influenza offered flu vaccinations, a hand-washing demonstration and education on influenza prevention.
Participants were treated to free food, music from a disc jockey and performances by local dancers and choirs. A table on sexual health education featured condom distribution, educational information on sexually transmitted diseases and information on safer sex practices. A Boys & Girls Club table hosted games and stressed the importance of physical activity. Information also was available on breast cancer awareness and conflict resolution.
Immediately following National Public Health Week, the Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida at HealthPark Medical Center in FORF MYERS, FLA., held an April Pools' Day event to highlight drowning prevention and water safety.
The event was key in the state that leads the country in drowning deaths of children ages 1-4, according to hospital officials. About 140 people attended the event that featured education on water safety, the use of water watcher tags, the importance of swim lessons and the fact that with 'layers of protection,' drowning is 100 percent preventable. Those layers include not only parent supervision but also barriers around pools, swim lessons and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for all family members.
Three local pool companies contributed to the event by displaying and demonstrating the use of safety supplies such as pool alarms, life rings, hooks, pool gates, latches and drain covers. A local family whose son nearly drowned last year talked with parents about the many dangers around pools. In addition to the many water safety stations, the event included free outdoor activities such as face painting, games and a moon bounce.
At the Florida International University Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work in MIAMI, FLA., National Public Health Week events focused on the issue of pedestrian and driver safety on campus and in the surrounding communities.
With a large percentage of the university's 42,000 students commuting to campus daily, the issue was of primary concern and led the school's student organization, the Stempel Public Health Association, to put together a campaign titled 'Look Up!' The campaign encouraged students, faculty and staff to look up from their cellphones and other distractions while walking and driving on campus, especially when crossing major intersections.
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Monday and Wednesday of National Public Health Week, public health students administered surveys on campus asking questions about whether people look up when crossing the street and driving and gauging their knowledge of campus speed limits. On Tuesday, the college hosted its annual Path Awards ceremony honoring public health professionals in the community. Public health students staffed a table with information about the Look Up! campaign to share with ceremony attendees.
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Thursday of National Public Health Week, the Stempel Public Health Association hosted a Honk for Safety event. Students stood near a major intersection adjacent to a parking garage and held posters that read 'Slow Down: Panthers Crossing' and 'Honk for Safety.' Drivers were enthusiastic, organizers said, with many honking as they drove past the crosswalk. Students using the crosswalk were happy to see drivers slowing down, and many signed a pledge to 'look up' as well.
Friday of National Public Health Week, the Stempel Public Health Association showed the movie 'Seven Pounds' to highlight the impact of texting and driving.
The National University of Health Sciences Florida campus in PINELLAS PARK, FLA., celebrated National Public Health Week by placing an exhibit booth in the school's main lobby during lunch hour for five days. At the booth, students distributed safety information to students, faculty, staff and visitors to the St. Petersburg College Caruth Health Education Campus in Pinellas Park.
At the university health clinic, which serves staff, students, faculty and their family members, clinicians and their interns enthusiastically participated, discussing safety information with patients throughout National Public Health Week. About 300 safety brochures were distributed overall, with safety tips such as using handrails while climbing stairs and safely storing hazardous chemicals.
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Several students in the doctor of chiropractic program wore badges with the 'Safety is No Accident' logo for the duration of National Public Health Week. The St. Petersburg College Library website hosted the National Public Health Week banner for the duration of the week, and a faculty member posted a daily safety message on a Facebook page, which reached friends across the globe.
Recognizing that injury prevention is a significant but sometimes overlooked public health issue, future public health professionals at Florida A&M University in TALLAHASSEE, FLA., took that message to two counties, the university and a diverse population during National Public Health Week.
An article written by a public health professor and a public health doctoral student about the safety theme and the significance of safety in public health ran in the local newspaper to kick off National Public Health Week. Public health students helped lead a 'Safety in the Home' workshop at a primarily low-income apartment complex on Monday, April 4, in neighboring rural Gadsen County and spotlighted children's safety in particular.
Tuesday featured a health fair, and a fire safety event held at a local daycare center on Wednesday included education by firefighters. On Thursday evening, a town hall meeting at the Leon County Health Department had the president of the Brain Injury Association of Florida, a law enforcement officer, an emergency responder, an injury epidemiologist and an elder care safety educator speaking on such topics as the growing concern surrounding texting while driving and the long-term impact of brain injury.
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Ending National Public Health Week on a creative note, Friday featured 'A Night of Elegance: Health through the Arts,' an event combining health with artistic flair as local poetry troupes, musicians and artists showcased their take on the theme of health and injury prevention.
The University of South Florida College of Public Health in TAMPA, FLA., celebrated National Public Health Week with a variety of activities that emphasized the importance of safety, incorporated the key components of public health and showed that safety is fun.
Public health students volunteered alongside other health students through the University of South Florida Health Service Corps in community outreach events. Those included a bike rodeo and 'passport to safety' event, in collaboration with Safe Kids Tampa, where student volunteers taught more than 350 children, teachers and parents at two local public schools about staying safe at home, at school and at play. Health student volunteers spoke to 10 classes of middle school students about occupational health and safety, first aid, organ donation and transplant surgery, eye safety and safety laws.
The college of public health collaborated with university and community partners to put on the second Give Life Day, where more than 110 people donated blood and registered with the National Marrow Donor Program and Donate Life Florida, an organ, tissue and eye donor registry. At Paint Your Heart Out Tampa, student and staff volunteers worked alongside other area residents to paint the house of an elderly resident. Also during National Public Health Week, students and faculty were able to take courses in adult and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Other Tampa-based education events included a home safety day where student volunteers and professionals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a supermarket chain and an anti-drug alliance provided interactive lobby displays about hand-washing, food safety, medication safety, poisoning prevention and drug abuse. At Safety on the Move Day, university students, faculty and staff and community members participated in a free defensive bicycling lesson and interactive games and displays led by the school's Center for Urban Transportation Research, Safe Kids Tampa, the Florida Department of Transportation and campus police. Safety at Play Day featured a national injury prevention expert and other professionals with the university's Sports Medicine and Athletic Related Trauma Institute discussing current research projects and community outreach initiatives. On World Health Day, April 7, college of public health faculty and a health department epidemiologist shared their expertise and experience related to the problem of antimicrobial resistance. And during Safety at Work Day, the College of Public Health's Sunshine Education and Research Center, which is funded by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, hosted a lecture on occupational injuries and chemical exposures in high-risk industries and a student-led tour of the college's occupational health and safety labs.
To round out the National Public Health Week celebration, the College of Public Health held its annual awards ceremony, which focused on student research and scholarship awards, the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health induction ceremony, Professor of the Year Award and Florida Outstanding Women in Public Health for 2011 Award.
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Healthways Hawaii, a company based in HONOLULU, HAWAII, that works to improve health and well-being, held a 'back to basics' staff workshop during National Public Health Week to educate about preventing back injury. The review of back care was important, organizers said, because the majority of the company's employees spend their workdays sitting and sometimes get up from their desks to lift a five-gallon water jug or heavy boxes.
A health educator used a demo skeleton to show what the spine looks like when the body is in certain positions and demonstrated back exercises suitable for the office and proper lifting techniques.
Emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet, regular exercise and an overall healthy lifestyle, the Chicago Lighthouse in CHICAGO, ILL., celebrated National Public Health Week with activities such as group exercise classes, nutritional dishes in the cafeteria, a community walk, a safety dance and a fitness challenge offering incentives to individuals who lose weight.
The Chicago Lighthouse, one of the nation's most comprehensive social service agencies, provides vision care and rehabilitation, a nationally acclaimed school for children with multiple disabilities, an employment services program, a clock manufacturing facility, a veterans program and a radio station. One of the most popular National Public Health Week activities was a volunteer walk through the surrounding community. Daily exercise and dance classes also were popular, designed to stress how exercise can help people perform better at work, school and play.
The celebrations also received widespread community support, with Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating donating a week's supply of meals and raffle prizes, representatives from the Chicago Fire Department offering fire safety tips, Rush University students giving health screenings and a local gym conducting a Zumba class.
The Chicago Lighthouse planned to build on the momentum generated by National Public Health Week to continue focusing on safety and injury prevention with a visit from the Chicago Police Department, more exercise sessions, a spring garden clean up day promoting the safe use of tools and a discussion on safety tips for having fun in the sun.
The Illinois Public Health Association in SPRINGFIELD, ILL., hosted and participated in a wide variety of National Public Health
Week activities, from a health trivia contest to educational presentations to special newsletters and a governor's proclamation.
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The Tazwell County Health Department, with support from the Illinois Public Health Association, planned activities for most days of National Public Health Week, including a trivia contest about the health department and public health, a reception for the winner of the Public Health Partnership Award, a walk during break time for staff and a visit from Illinois State Police with a crash simulator.
Members of the APHA Affiliate also attended a Central Illinois Medical Reserve Conference during National Public Health Week, where the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team gave presentations and took a tour of the State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield. Another association member gave a National Public Health Week PowerPoint presentation on safety for a Winnebago County family case managers meeting.
The Illinois Public Health Association submitted a governor's proclamation on Public Health Week, drafted a special newsletter on National Public Health Week activities held throughout the state and emailed action alerts to all 6,000 members with information on ways to get involved with spreading the safety and prevention message.
The Illinois Affiliate's AmeriCorps members marked National Public Health Week by launching a photo project to raise awareness of how public health affects people's daily lives. The initiative involved placing red and white This is Public Health stickers from the Association of Schools of Public Health's campaign in strategic locations, such as near signs directing bathroom visitors to wash their hands. The best photos were placed in the This is Public Health online photo album at www.thisispublic health.org.
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At the Logan County Health Department, an Illinois Public Health Association member, National Public Health Week activities included a Preparedness Day raffle and giveaway on Monday, a Hazard Day on tornado preparedness on Tuesday, a Safety at Play Day on Wednesday when staff were encouraged to represent their favorite sports team, a Safety on the Move Day on Thursday featuring a lunch-time walk and a Violence Prevention Day on Friday.
On Friday of National Public Health Week, APHA, the Illinois Affiliate and the American Academy of Pediatrics hosted a panel discussion on preventing youth violence at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. A special performance by the Ray of Hope Center of the Arts, a teen-focused, multicultural arts organization focusing on positive messages, followed the discussion.
The University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center hosted a national meeting for injury and violence prevention experts in CORALVILLE, IOWA, during National Public Health Week. The joint annual meeting of the Safe States Alliance, the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Prevention Research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention State Injury Grantees brought together more than 300 people from the fields of practice and research to inform one another and create evidence-based, effective injury and violence prevention programs.
During the April 6-8 meeting, APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), made a visit as part of APHA's Injury Prevention Road Tour, leading a town hall session with national injury and violence prevention leaders. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, delivered a video address at the town hall where a panel included representatives from the CDC National Center for Violence Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Office's of Construction Safety and Health.
At the University of Iowa College of Public Health in IOWA CIFY, IOWA, National Public Health Week events spanned the state with a national injury prevention meeting and distribution of an injury prevention Web video.
The video, 'Injury Prevention Starts with You,' highlights ways individuals can create a safer and healthier world. On April 5, the college hosted a breakfast with state legislators at the Capitol in Des Moines, where students, faculty, staff and Board of Advisors members talked with lawmakers about ways the college improves the health outcomes of communities across Iowa. Following the breakfast, the college highlighted outreach activities and community-based partnerships for Capitol visitors, staff, legislators and the governor as part of the first Hawkeye Caucus Day at the Capitol. The college also was a gold-level sponsor of the two-day Iowa Governor's Conference on Public Health, which was attended by more than 600 public and environmental health professionals.
At the Cleveland Chiropractic College in OVERLAND PARK, KAN., students, faculty and staff promoted safety and giving back to the community during National Public Health Week.
A guest speaker from a fitness retailer stressed the importance of using proper equipment while exercising, and literature about safety solutions was available at several locations across campus. A shoe drive collected worn athletic footwear for the Nike Grind program that recycles used shoes into soft surfaces for playgrounds and other sports venues. Another collection of lightly used shoes went to the company Toms Shoes, which then distributed the footwear to people in need. The company has a program that donates a pair of new shoes to a child for every pair purchased.
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The Sedgwick County Health Department in WICHIFA, KAN., celebrated a health hero during National Public Health Week.
During a Sedgwick County Commission Meeting, the health department presented the 2011 Dr. Doren Fredrickson Commitment to Public Health Award to Arneatha Martin, co-founder and CEO of Wichita's Center for Health and Wellness. Martin has devoted much of her life to advocating for prevention and quality health care for the uninsured and for those who lack a medical home. The award is given annually to a person who has shown a lifetime commitment to public health in honor of the late Doren Fredrickson, who served for many years as health officer for the Sedgwick County Health Department.
'For Arneatha, public health wasn't just a job, it was a mission,' said Sedgwick County Health Department Director Claudia Blackburn. 'And that shows through her steadfast commitment to numerous public health initiatives. Even in retirement, she remains actively involved in our community.'
In ORONO, MAINE, seniors at the University of Maine School of Nursing marked National Public Health Week by forming groups and holding community-based health promotion activities in areas across the state.
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The nursing students led an exercise class for older adults in a rehabilitation facility, gave a presentation on radon to residents in a local town, presented sexual education for high school students at a health fair, spotlighted nutrition and exercise education for students in kindergarten through fifth grade at a rural elementary school, collaborated with a local grocery store to raise awareness among shoppers of healthy food choices and produced a video on recycling for a community's website.
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In ANNAPOLIS, MD., the Anne Arundel County Department of Health celebrated National Public Health Week with a sun safety nature walk around town.
The April 6 walk attracted nearly 80 participants, including county and state employees and members of the public. The department also held employee contests, posted Facebook comments on the meaning of public health and gave presentations on the dangers of distracted driving.
Graduate students in the 'Social Media and Health' course at Tufts University School of Medicine in BOSFON, MASS., celebrated National Public Health Week using Twitter and Facebook.
The class professor and students requested that injury prevention be the topic for the weekly ABC Health News chat led by ABC News Medical Editor Richard Besser, MD, during National Public Health Week. Co-hosted by American Academy of Pediatrics President Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, the chat focused on injury prevention in children and included questions on car seats, bike safety and balancing parental concerns with a child's need to explore.
To raise more awareness of injury prevention in daily life, students posted captioned photographs on the Tufts University Public Health Program Facebook page at www.facebook. com/tuftspublichealth. Captions on student images highlighted tips such as 'wearing proper safety equipment helps to prevent injuries,' 'seatbelts save lives' and 'crosswalks are probably one of the most under-appreciated forms of ensuring safety for the public.'
In BROOKLINE, MASS., the Brookline Department of Public Health offered free cardiopulmonary resuscitation training to the public during National Public Health Week and organized other events such as a rabies clinic, a talk on dental health and a presentation on community gardening.
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At the free CPR training, more than 80 community members learned about revised guidelines on 'hard and fast' compressions and learned to use an automatic external defibrillator, a portable device that can help restart the heart after cardiac arrest.
The rabies clinic offered $10 rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats. On Sunday of National Public Health Week, canvassers visited Brookline homes to promote signups for home energy audits and to discuss wind-powered electricity as part of an effort to address global climate change. Health officials posted a Public Health Quiz on the city health department website on Monday, and a professor at the Boston University school of Dental Medicine gave a Tuesday presentation at the Brookline Senior Center on the importance of dental health for all ages.
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An award-winning local chef visited a school on Wednesday as part of the Chefs Move to Schools project to introduce students to healthy food options. Also on Wednesday, a Brookline Women Walking event co-sponsored by the Brookline Women's Commission highlighted the benefits of walking, strategies for getting motivated and allowed attendees to join or create walking groups. On Thursday, Kick Butts Day at Brookline High School gave students the chance to participate in a number of activities aimed at reducing smoking among high school students.
The Springfield Department of Health and Human Services in SPRINGFIELD, MASS., not only celebrated National Public Health Week but held events throughout April as Public Health Month, hosting interactive displays, educational programs and other events.
The month-long events included a 'Lifekeeper Memory Quilts Display' sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and a multi-media competition for area high school students to raise awareness about depression and suicide. Early in the month, a Youth Empowerment Convention sponsored by the Springfield Youth Network was held at the local community college gym.
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Health department employees participated in a 'Public Health Month Kick-Off' celebration on April 4. The event featured a presentation on the 2011 Western Massachusetts Medical Reserve Corps, another on perinatal mood disorders, a public information session on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and a clinic open house, a regional health dialogue and presentations on the Kidney Early Evaluation Program and safe sleep positions for babies.
Throughout the month, events aimed at seniors included 'Karaoke your way to Weight Loss' at a local senior center and a presentation warning the elderly about common financial scams. A community forum on maternal child mental health, a spaghetti dinner benefiting the local animal shelter foundation and a teen health night were just a few of the other public health events held in April.
The health department also participated in an open house at the Springfield Fire Department, promoted 'Proper Disposal of Rx Medication Day' at Springfield Central High School and a car seat safety checkup event as well as a Vietnamese American Civic Association public health fair and a conference on the role of community outreach in local, state and national health care reform, among other activities.
Carson City Health and Human Services in CARSON CITY, NEV., reached out during National Public Health Week to let community members know about the important role of public health.
Staff members were on hand at daily health fairs across town, providing information and incentives. Each day of National Public Health week the local newspaper, the Nevada Appeal, ran a feature story with information and tips on a different safety topic.
Partners in the effort included Advocate to End Domestic Violence, the Suicide Prevention Service, the Western Nevada Medical Reserve Corps, the Positive Energy Community Activity Center and Western Nevada College.
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Driving home the injury prevention message, the Northern Nevada Chapter of the Nevada Public Health Association hosted many National Public Health Week events in the RENO, NEV., area, including a bicycle helmet giveaway.
Following an accident, a University of Nevada Reno student was quoted in the association's newsletter with a sobering reminder of the importance of helmet use.
'Once I got to my feet I noticed by helmet was bruised and cut on the side,' the student said. 'And if I wasn't wearing my helmet, I could have died.'
At the Washoe County Senior Center, a workshop addressed medications and increased risk for falls and was followed by a short exercise demonstration, and a Monday evening presentation to more than 70 college students spotlighted suicide prevention.
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Tuesday's events included a crosswalk safety awareness event on the University of Nevada campus, a presentation on agroterrorism and community preparedness, local food samples and a bicycle and pedestrian safety event featuring a helmet fitting station, community safety clinic and helmet giveaway.
Wednesday and Thursday events included a safety fair held in a high-traffic area of campus, distribution of information on sexual assault prevention and demonstrations of Crossfit and tai chi. A Friday presentation focused on improving mental health and preventing elder suicide.
In the weeks leading up to National Public Health Week, the Nevada APHA Affiliate reached out with strategic marketing, including email blasts, a promotional video posted on YouTube, Facebook posts, poster placement and a news release, which led to television and radio interviews. The touching video encouraged people to 'take a moment' to help prevent the nation's nearly 150,000 preventable deadly accidents. Posters featured messages such as 'Get It On!' promoting helmet use and 'Get Strong!' promoting exercise.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey celebrated National Public Health Week by hosting its 16th annual Public Health Symposium at the school's campus in PISCAFAWAY, N.J.
Using the 'Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free' theme, the symposium aimed to raise awareness of how Americans can live injury-free at work, at home, at play, in the community and anywhere people are on the move.
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Attendees from across the state represented a variety of health disciplines such as health officers, physicians, health educators, epidemiologists, public health nurses, registered environmental health specialists and undergraduate and graduate students from many different schools. Groups including the New Jersey Health Officers Association, New Jersey Society for Public Health Education, the New York-New Jersey Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center and the U.S. Public Health Service sponsored tabletop displays.
Presentations during the symposium touched on topics such as changes in the brain following a sports-related concussion, child abuse prevention, safety in the workplace and poisoning prevention in the home.
The Native Health Initiative in ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., organized an Indigenous Health Leadership Institute conference for National Public Health Week, bringing together graduate students across various fields of study, including medicine, epidemiology, anthropology, law, health policy, psychology, business and international studies.
Students exchanged ideas and learned firsthand from indigenous elders and health professionals about topics such as the effects of historical trauma on a community's social fabric. Attendees were encouraged to work from a framework grounded in an individual community. Indigenous populations in the United States range from more hundreds of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes to less-defined indigenous populations from Mexico, Latin America, South America and across the world.
The conference received support from APHA as well as the Association of Native American Medical Students, First Nations Community Health Source and the Kalpulli Teocalli Ollin, a community dedicated to traditional, ancestral methods that empower people's own healing.
The Livingston County Department of Health in MF. MORRIS, N.Y., kicked off National Public Health Week by encouraging local restaurants to offer heart-healthy menu items. Eleven restaurants answered the call. The initiative reached out to restaurant patrons as well by urging them to make heart-healthy selections when eating out.
Taking the heart-healthy theme even further, the Livingston County Health Department partnered with several organizations in the community to offer the 13th annual Taste of Livingston County. Eighteen local restaurants participated at the sold-out event, creating heart-healthy dishes for the nearly 525 attendees to sample. Proceeds from the event were donated to Compeer of Livingston County, a mental health organization.
Keeping with the week's injury prevention theme, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County partnered with the Livingston County Department of Health to sponsor a safety fair. About 175 Livingston County residents attended the fair, where they learned about a range of safety topics, including traffic, bicycle and water safety, and took advantage of opportunities to have their bicycle helmets fitted correctly.
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In a safety-poster coloring contest that preceded the safety fair, the importance of being safe on a variety of wheels, such as bicycles and skateboards, took center stage. Winners of the contest, which was open to all Livingston County school students, received free bike helmets, and grand prize winners took home bicycles. The 17 local agencies on hand at the event offered games and shared important safety information.
The School of Health Sciences and Practice at New York Medical College in WESFCHESFER COUNFY, N.Y., hosted a slate of National Public Health Week activities that included an alumni reception, special guest speaker presentations on the safety theme and a movie screening.
On Monday, an Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance officer addressed workplace hazards and on-the-job accident prevention. A guest panel of public health leaders illustrated various career opportunities in public health during a Tuesday 'Careers in Public Health Today' session.
Wednesday of National Public Health Week, APHA member Henry Falk, MD, MPH, acting director of the National Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who was involved with the federal responses to the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster, the eruption of Mount St. Helens and Hurricanes Hugo, Andrew and Katrina, as well as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, spoke about public health actions, strategies and policies to prevent the burden of injuries. Thursday featured a documentary exploring the dark side of the American food industry.
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The University of North Carolina Charlotte Department of Public Health Sciences, along with the Graduate Public Health Association, Public Health Association and the Charlotte Healthcare Executives Student Organization, hosted a weeklong event series in CHARLOTTE, N.C., for National Public Health Week.
A keynote event featured a seminar and discussion with a national safety expert on 'Stopping Trauma Before the 911 Call.' A campus health fair gave students the opportunity to display posters with public health safety messages and featured a display where attendees could try to navigate an obstacle course while wearing 'beer goggles' simulating the effects alcohol has on vision and coordination. One entry in the school's This is Public Health photo contest depicted a shoe stamping out a cigarette with the caption 'Public health, one; cigarette, none.' Other events included a safety-themed campus scavenger hunt and a Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health induction and research seminar.
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The Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division in PORTLAND, ORE., coordinated more than 30 events for National Public Health Week, including a speaker series, presentations and trainings, photo, video and poster contests for youth and a legislative breakfast at the state Capitol. Other events included tours of the Public Health Laboratory and various exhibits and displays throughout the health department.
One compelling presentation during National Public Health Week put the issue of health disparities into perspective. Reminding health department staff that the ill-fated Titanic carried enough lifeboats for just 53 percent of its passengers, disparities researcher and APHA member Thomas LaVeist, PhD, translated that into today's public health landscape.
'Space in a lifeboat was a scarce resource,' said LaVeist, director of the Center for Health Disparities Solutions at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. 'And when resources are scarce, who you are determines who gets access.'
It was not just 'women and children first' when it came to surviving the shipwreck, LaVeist said, but also whether a passenger had been traveling in steerage or first class. He pointed to disparities research that is increasingly showing socioeconomic conditions, not race, are the basis for higher death rates among many minorities. Many questions remain, though, about how to best address continued troubling statistics, such as the fact that black Americans are more than three times as likely as white Americans to have a leg amputated because of diabetes complications.
'This is ultimately about death--people dying sooner than they ought to die,' said Tricia Tillman, administrator of Oregon's Office of Multicultural Health and Services.
The state's Action Plan for Health is guiding the ongoing effort to bring affordable, high-quality care to all state residents. It calls for using community health workers as members of the primary care team as well as doing more to collect and analyze community-based data to gain more understanding of differing health outcomes.
During a panel discussion on domestic violence, Oregon Health Authority Director and APHA member Bruce Goldberg, MD, said in a typical year, 24 Oregonians die of injuries from domestic violence. But in 2009, the toll spiked to 18 deaths in just over a month, including five murder-suicides.
'Imagine if we had 18 deaths from measles in a month,' Goldberg said.
The panel discussion spotlighted a growing body of evidence suggesting the benefits of treating violence as though it were a preventable disease. The approach is backed by a coalition of law enforcement officers, advocates and mental health counselors.
Oregon is joining at least 17 other states in setting up statewide Fatality Review Panels to study specific cases. The aim is to trace how violent incidents happen and learn how to better prevent such tragedies.
'We need to vaccinate our communities against domestic violence,' said Cynthia Stinson, director of the Crime Victims Service Division in the Oregon Department of Justice and a panel member during the National Public Health Week discussion.
Panelists talked of how violence results not only in traumatic injuries and deaths but also is a contributing factor in illnesses as varied as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and arthritis.
The Fire Safety Store in CARMCHAELS, PA., held a daily drawing during National Public Health Week. The winner received a complimentary home safety product, either an ionization smoke alarm with a 10-year lithium battery, a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector or a kit to test for radon gas concentration in the home.
Prize winners also received a printed card with injury prevention facts. For example, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon is responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that carbon monoxide kills 500 Americans each year. And a smoke alarm was not present in the site of 40 percent of all home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Agency.
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At the Anderson County Health Department in CLINFON, TENN., National Public Health Week events included a bicycle rodeo for children in the Oak Ridge Community.
Co-sponsored by the Safe Kids Coalition of the Greater Knoxville Area and the Knoxville Area Regional Bicycle Program, the event included health department packets for participants stocked with sunscreen, sun safety tips and bike safety stickers. Activities included a helmet giveaway, helmet fit tings and a bike safety check. Bike safety training touched on issues such as how to start off and brake safely and gave traffic safety instruction and practice. The event also offered a bike obstacle course and an exercise in steering and stability, designating a separate area for bikes with training wheels.
More than 100 children and parents attended the bike rodeo, which featured community partners such as the Oak Ridge Police Department, the Oak Ridge Fire Department, Coordinated School Health, the Epilepsy Foundation and a local bike shop.
Other health department-sponsored National Public Health Week activities included a falls prevention seminar for older adults at a local church. Staff handed out free sunscreen samples, safety tips and games to all children who visited the health department during April. At the monthly staff meeting, employees celebrated National Public Health Week with tropical fruit and vegetable skewers, an injury prevention quiz and a speech on safe medication disposal.
The Public Health Student Association at East Tennessee State University in JOHNSON CITY, TENN., led the way in organizing National Public Health Week activities such as a health carnival, a fundraising relay race and Public Health Awards Day.
An annual event at the school during each year's National Public Health Week, the Well-a Palooza Carnival of Health brought together several university and community groups such as the Public Health Student Association, Women's Research Center, Outreach Awareness: Sexuality Information for Students and the Student Dietetics Association for a day of health and wellness promotion. The carnival featured health screenings, informational materials, games, prizes and a visit from the local roller derby team.
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On April 8 and 9, the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life had several campus organizations competing to raise money for the American Cancer Society and awareness about cancer prevention, treatment and research. The Public Health Student
Association won first place for raising the most money and was also recognized for its creative decorations.
During National Public Health Week, the college of public health also recognized outstanding public health students for their significant contributions to the college and public health through research, service and teaching. As a nod to the importance of strong mentors, several faculty and staff members were recognized for their role in the students' success.
A Public Health Law Colloquium at the University of Tennessee in KNOXVILLE, TENN., during National Public Health Week was sponsored by the Health Law Section of the Tennessee Bar Association along with the university's Center for Public Health, College of Law and Baker Center for Public Policy.
The event sought to engage a statewide audience of students, faculty and practitioners in exploring the intersection between public health and law practice and to foster an ongoing conversation on the topic. The two-part colloquium began with an introductory seminar providing a practical overview of how legal issues emerge in public health. The following day, a panel session addressed 'Legal Aspects of Emergency Preparedness Efforts,' highlighting the challenge of translating emergency guidelines into a real-world response. The discussion also underscored the importance of strengthening existing relationships among those agencies called upon to respond during health emergencies.
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Another panel discussion explored 'The Tension Between Regulation and Personal Rights' and was led by a senior attorney with the Office of General Council for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Panelists included a state senator, the Center for Public Health director and the head of the university's Philosophy Department. One takeaway message was that regulatory efforts are not always at odds with personal rights and may often serve to protect those rights.
A final keynote covered 'Health Policy: Laws that Improve Health.' The conference sessions are available at http://tinyurl.com/6cy9o2z.
The Department of Health Administration and Health Sciences at Tennessee State University in NASHVILLE, TENN., teamed up with the university's Children are Restrained for Enhanced Safety, or CARES, Project to promote child passenger safety during National Public Health Week.
Students, faculty and staff conducted educational and training sessions specifically targeting low-income and minority communities in Middle Tennessee. Programs were designed to raise parents' and caregivers' awareness of child passenger safety and promote proper use of both child safety seats and driver seat belts. Hands-on demonstrations showed the best ways to buckle up.
The Texas Public Health Association, based in AUSFIN, TEXAS, celebrated National Public Health Week by dedicating the spring edition of its quarterly Texas Public Health Journal to coverage of the event.
A wrap-up article on 'How Texas Will Celebrate National Public Health Week' provided an overview of the week's activities across the state. The article spotlighted faculty, staff and students in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and described their plans to partner with the university's Trauma Service to sponsor a bike rodeo for the Galveston bicycling community.
The overview covered a range of other activities, including the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District's Fifth Annual Health Fair. The April 9 event, a partnership with Wichita Falls Traffic Safety Commission, also featured a bicycle rodeo to promote bike safety.
The special edition of the APHA Texas Affiliate's journal also featured a range of columns and research articles tied to the week's theme, 'Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free.' The articles featured topics such as pediatric brain injury, texting and driving, automobile safety and oleander poisoning.
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The Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, based in COLLEGE SFAFION, TEXAS, offered a variety of events during National Public Health Week at both of its campuses.
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Monday featured the eighth annual School of Rural Public Health, in College Station, Texas, Golf Tournament, awards reception and silent auction benefiting student scholarships. A blood and bone marrow drive was held on Tuesday of National Public Health Week, with Wednesday's events featuring a brown bag lunch series hosted by the Office of Special Programs. The topic was 'Determinants of Breast Cancer Outcome Disparities: Local, National and Global Insights.'
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Students from both campuses participated in the Sixth Annual Research Poster Symposium and Student Poster Contest, with posters on display throughout National Public Health Week. Winning posters touched on laparoscopic surgery, birth outcomes and childhood obesity. On Thursday, a panel of nationally renowned health policy experts led a discussion on leveraging public health within the changing economic environment and within the scope of federal health care reform.
Also in College Station, the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health hosted its annual five-kilometer run during National Public Health Week, when a school dean and a professor also announced the Brazos Valley's recent National Achievement Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Excellence in Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging national recognition program. Learn more about the awards at www.epa. gov/aging/bhc/awards. Saturday featured a gala at a local country club sponsored by the Rural Public Health Student Association.
The school's McAllen, campus hosted a community-wide event on April 6 featuring a representative from the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization U.S.-Mexico Border Office speaking about the effect of chronic disease on the border region. The campus also hosted an April 8 blood drive.
Texas Chiropractic College in PASADENA, TEXAS, kicked off National Public Health Week at the Moody Health Center with a new and ongoing smoking cessation campaign for patients who smoke. The 'Ask Me about SmokeFree' project featured a workshop for interns and clinicians.
On Tuesday of National Public Health Week, a noted chiropractic researcher and wellness expert spoke to interns and clinicians on the importance of integrating health promotion, accepted wellness measures and preventive screenings into chiropractic practice. A talk on Wednesday for all faculty and the entire student body gave information on the APHA Chiropractic Health Care Section and resources for chiropractors to use to implement prevention, health promotion and wellness measures in clinical practice. Thursday of National
Public Health Week was declared 'Research Day' at Texas Chiropractic College, with poster displays in the gymnasium on various research conferences attended by college researchers and a raffle for students who attended any events during the week.
In TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS, an annual poster contest during National Public Health Week sponsored by Tarrant County Public Health challenged students in grades one through eight to produce original artwork related to the 'Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free' theme.
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Winners were recognized during Tarrant County Commissioners Court, receiving a $50 U.S. Savings Bond, an awards certificate and a set of greeting cards and coloring pages featuring their artwork. The winning artwork, one poster from each grade, was posted on the Tarrant County Public Health website at http://health.tarrantcounty.com and Facebook page. The art was also added to the Public Health Week Poster Contest Gallery in the health department's main headquarters building in Fort Worth, and featured on a local television station. Winning posters illustrated safety issues such as the importance of wearing a helmet, crosswalk safety, avoiding cell phone use while driving and keeping hazardous household chemicals out of the reach of young children.
National Public Health Week events in OAKLEY, UFAH, included a five-kilometer race to raise awareness about public health.
More than 200 pre-registered racers as well as many on-site registrants showed up on the cold and slippery Saturday of National Public Health Week. The event also featured a chance to sign a petition to encourage mandated hygiene and health training in schools. Health advocates were on hand to talk about dental health, insurance and other topics.
The event was primarily sponsored by Outfox Prevention, a company that provides lessons, programs and other materials for schools and organizations on hygiene, and Parents Against School-Based Illness.
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APHA President Linda Rae Murray, MD, MPH, visited Vermont during National Public Health Week as part of APHA's Injury Prevention Road Tour as the keynote speaker for the Vermont Public Health Association's Annual Meeting in MONFPELIER, VF.
The meeting served as a forum on addressing health disparities and was cosponsored by the Vermont Department of Health. In addition to Murray's address, Deputy Vermont Health Commissioner Tracy Dolan shared results from the recently released 2011 County Health Rankings and the 2010 Health Disparities of Vermonters report.
The morning after the forum, Murray held a series of meetings about Vermont's efforts for comprehensive health reform with administration and legislative leaders, including Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin.
