Health Observance

Hundreds of thousands of teens nationwide are expected to participate in the eighth annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on May 6, 2009. The purpose of the National Day is straightforward. Too many teens still think “It can’t happen to me.” The National Day helps teens understand that it can happen to them and that they need to think seriously about what they would do in the moment. About the National Day.

More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the 61 Poison Control Centers (PCCs) across the country. More than 90 percent of these poisonings occur in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur in children younger than six years old. And, poisonings are one of the leading causes of death among adults.

The purpose of this annual day is to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls and encourage women and girls to take Action. HIV/AIDS among women and girls is not just an international problem — it affects women right here in the United States. In addition, the number of U.S. women and girls living with HIV is on the rise. In the mid 1980s, less than 15 percent of new HIV infections in the United States were among women and girls ages 13 years and older; by 2006, it was about 27 percent.

March 2009 is also National Women’s History Month. In 2009, the National Women's History Project honors women who have taken the lead in the environmental or "green" movement. The theme is Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet. NWHM is featuring Rachel Carson, the founder of the contemporary environmental movement, as the iconic model of the theme. Rachel Carson's work provides an admirable model for comparison.

March is National Nutrition Month® - a nutrition education and information campaign created by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. NNM also promotes ADA and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically-based food and nutrition information.

AANP has developed the NP Week Resource Guide to help members plan and execute a successful week, building awareness of the NP by educating the general public about the value and benefits of having an NP as a health care provider. Review the guide and plan now to make NP Week 2008 an event to remember! If you have any questions, please contact membership@aanp.org.

October 10th is National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), held each year during Mental Illness Awareness Week. NDSD calls attention to the illnesses of depression, manic-depression, PTSD and anxiety on a national level, to educate the public about their symptoms and effective treatments, to offer individuals the opportunity to be screened for the disorders, and to connect those in need of treatment to the mental health care system.

National Midwifery, is a wonderful occasion celebrating midwifery and midwives' commitment to being "With Women, for a Lifetime." Whether you are a midwife, a new parent or grandparent, or you're just seeking information about midwifery, this week will be filled with educational opportunities.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October 15th is national Mammography Day. Mammography centers across the country will be offering reduced cost or free screenings throughout the month and on October 15th.

The Get Ready campaign, sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA), provides information, resources and tools so that all individuals, families and communities in the United States are more prepared for a potential influenza pandemic outreach of an emerging infectious disease or other hazard or disaster.