Friday, March 27, 2009

Share your NPHW news

As you hold your National Public Health Week events in the coming weeks, be sure to keep APHA’s official newspaper, The Nation’s Health, in mind.

In an upcoming issue, The Nation’s Health will feature coverage of events held around the nation, and your activity could be one of them. Send us a short summary of your activities, when it was held, who was involved and what was accomplished. National Public Health Week photos and artwork are also welcome.

If possible, digital photos should be at a resolution of at least 300 dpi and should be e-mailed as separate JPEG attachments. Printed photos may be mailed. Please note if a photo credit should be given.

"This is your chance to share your ideas and experiences with public health colleagues from around the country," said Michele Late, the newspaper’s executive editor. "Everyone who sends us information will be mentioned. We would love to showcase your work."

Information should be e-mailed by Friday, April 24, to nations.health@apha.org or mailed to: Editor, The Nation’s Health, 800 I St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001-3710. Everyone who sends their information via e-mail will receive a submission confirmation. Click here for more complete details on submitting your events to the newspaper.

The Nation’s Health will send extra copies of the issue to participants who send in their news, so be sure to include your mailing address and the name of a contact person.

For more information on submitting your National Public Health Week news to The Nation’s Health, call 202-777-2488 or e-mail nations.health@apha.org.

(Still not sure how or what to submit to The Nation’s Health? Check out last year’s coverage.)

Friday, March 20, 2009

Bad news + inspiration = ACTION

How’s our health faring in these new and troublesome (and sometimes frightening) economic times? Not too well, according to a recent article in The Nation’s Health newspaper, “U.S. economic crisis having worrisome effect on health.” As if the nation’s uninsurance problem wasn’t bad enough....

And check out this new video (below) from the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation about the public health response in a Kansas town devastated by a category 5 tornado. It’s pretty inspirational and illustrates just how vital our public health system truly is.



Bad news + inspiration = ACTION. So, visit President Obama’s health reform site to submit public health-related questions to regional health reform forums or just get involved in making sure public health has a seat at the table.


Bookmark and Share

Friday, March 13, 2009

Health reform goes local

Yesterday marked the launch of a series of White House regional health forums that will be held across the country in the coming weeks. The first forum was held in Michigan and was attended by politicians, reporters, doctors, nurses and the public.

The day’s events included individuals sharing personal stories of how their lives have been impacted by astronomical health care costs, small business owners talking about their struggles to provide their employees with health coverage and politicians talking about their commitment to reform.

And according to an APHA member who attended, many of the principles APHA is endorsing for health reform - such as universal coverage, access to health services, emphasis on wellness and prevention, and reducing health disparities – were also mentioned by participants in the forum.

Does this forum sound like something in which you’d like to be involved? If you live in Vermont, Iowa, North Carolina or California, you’re in luck – these are the states hosting the next health forums. You can find out the dates and other information here.

Don’t live in one of those states but still want to get involved? You can play a role by submitting ideas or questions for the upcoming forums here.

What topics do you want to see covered at the forums? Do you think they are a good way to get more people involved in and supportive of health reform? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.