Subject
title
Proclamation Declaring April 1 - 7, 2024, as National Public Health Week
end
Department
City Clerk/Director of Council Operations Office
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Mayor and Council read and approve the proclamation.
Discussion
National Public Health Week is April 1 - 7, 2024. During the first full week of April each year, American Public Health Association (APHA) brings together communities across the United States 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 nation.
Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. This year’s theme is, “Protecting, Connecting and Thriving: We Are All Public Health.”
The American Public Health Association has defined a one health goal for each day of National Public Health Week, April 1 - 7, 2024. These areas are critical to our future success in creating the healthiest nation, and everyone can do their part to help, they include: (Monday) Civic Engagement (Tuesday) Healthy Neighborhoods, (Wednesday) Climate Change, (Thursday) New Tools and Innovations, (Friday) Reproductive and Sexual Health, (Saturday) Emergency Preparedness, and (Sunday) Future of Public Health.
Source: <https://nphw.org/Themes-and-Facts>
While doctors treat people who are sick, those working in public health try to prevent people from getting sick or injured. They also promote wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors.
From conducting scientific research to educating about health, people in the field of public health work to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. That means vaccinating children and adults to prevent the spread of disease; or educating people about the risks of alcohol and tobacco. Public health sets safety standards to protect workers and develops school nutrition programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food.
Public health works to track disease outbreaks, prevent injuries and shed light on why some of us are more likely to suffer from poor health than others. The many facets of public health include speaking out for laws that promote smoke-free indoor air and seatbelts, spreading the word about ways to stay healthy and giving science-based solutions to problems.
In the U.S., where we live, income, education, race, and access to health care mean as much as a 15-year difference in how long you will live. Equally shocking: studies show that even wealthy, highly educated Americans with access to quality care suffer a health disadvantage to peers in other high-income countries. That's why the American Public Health Association (APHA) created Generation Public Health.
For more information on APHA, please visit
<https://www.apha.org/What-is-Public-Health/Generation-Public-Health>
Mayor and Council History
This is the fourth year the Mayor and Council have recognized and proclaimed National Public Health Week.