February 2017 Awarenesses

By Editor | February 3, 2017 |

Kathryn Hawley

Due to Valentine’s Day, it’s hard not to think about February as being some type of “Heart” month. Turns out, it is American Heart month and more! According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the month of February National Health observances include the following. Please see websites where information was obtained to learn more:

• AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month – Feb. 1-28 – becoming aware of AMD, or age-related macular degeneration, is a leading cause of vision loss for Americans age 50 and older. It affects central vision, where sharpest vision occurs, causing difficulty conducting daily tasks such as driving, reading, and recognizing faces. http://www.preventblindness.org/AMD-age-related-macular-degeneration, https://www.cdc.gov/features/healthyvisionmonth/index.html

• American Heart Month – Feb. 1-28 – Raising awareness to improve cardiovascular health and a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle to aid in heart health. https://www.cdc.gov/HeartDisease/facts.htm , https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/american_heart_month.htm

• International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month – Feb. 1-28 – a time to get informed about Infections that can occur during pregnancy. http://www.groupbstrepinternational.org/ , https://www.cdc.gov/Features/PrenatalInfections/

• National Children’s Dental Health Month – Feb. 1-28 – A time to let your smile shine and brush up on healthy teeth and steps to a healthy smile. https://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/publications/resources/press_releases/brushup_pr.htm , http://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month

• Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month – Feb. 1-28 – Bringing awareness to the physical, sexual, psychological or emotional violence in a dating relationship, including stalking. This can happen in person or electronically. https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/2016/dpk-teen-dating-violence.html

• African Heritage & Health Week – Feb. 1-7 – Discovering the enticing flavors and naturally healthy features of African Heritage cuisine. http://oldwayspt.org/programs/african-heritage-health/african-heritage-health-week

• World Cancer Day – Feb. 4 – A day to think about how you can make a difference in the fight against cancer. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/WorldCancerDay/index.htm , http://www.worldcancerday.org/

• Give Kids A Smile ® Day – Feb. 5 – Awareness of the importance of healthy teeth and a child’s smile. http://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/give-kids-a-smile

• National Wear Red Day – Feb. 5 – Wear red in February for American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day to help raise awareness about heart disease prevention.

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/hearttruth/materials/wear-red-toolkit.htm

• Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week – Feb. 7-14 – Promoting awareness and education about congenital heart defects (CHDs). https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6504a7.htm, http://tchin.org/default.aspx

• National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day – Feb. 7 – The Theme for this day is “I Am My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper: Fight HIV/AIDS, emphasizes a role that everyone can play in HIV prevention” and steps to take. https://www.cdc.gov/features/blackhivaidsawareness/index.html https://nationalblackaidsday.org/

• National Donor Day – Feb. 14 – Bringing awareness to lives that are saved by the gift of healthy life and sight through a donor donation. https://www.organdonor.gov/index.html

This will be an amazing month! Go to http://www.nodawaypublichealth.org/ for a direct link to these sites!

Kathryn Hawley, RN & Health Educator, Nodaway County Health Dept.