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Events in Health
Care:
(Source: Missouri
Hospital Association's 2000 Promotional Calendar)
October 1-31, Campaign For Healthier
Babies Month. This month-long concentrated effort focuses
attention on the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
and its community health programs, public awareness
messages, advocacy and fund-raising efforts. This month
is designated to showcase infant mortality prevention
efforts.www.modimes.org.
October 1-31, Child Health Month.
Prevention is the focus of Child Health Month, and
the ongoing slogan is "Solutions Before
Problems." The American Academy of Pediatrics develops
messages and activities related to a selected area of
emphasis. For example, messages about disease, injury
or violence prevention can raise public awareness of
the importance of "prevention" when it comes
to children's health. www.aap.org
(under advocacy).
October 1-31, Domestic Violence Awareness
Month. Activities are held all over the United States
to commemorate the loss due to domestic violence and
to educate the public about the issue and the resources
available to victims. www.ncadv.org.
October 1-31, Family Eye Care Month.
Ophthalmologists around the country want to remind people
of the importance of eye care at all stages of life.
Many problems can be prevented or treated if detected
early. Ophthalmologists want to educate people about
the best ways to keep their eyes healthy for life. Information
on eye care for all ages is available.www.eyenet.org.
October 1-31, Healthy Lung Month.
This month is the American Lung Association's
educational campaign to promote lung health with a focus
on childhood asthma, influenza and pneumonia and indoor
air pollution, including second-hand smoke and radon.
www.lungusa.org.
October 1-31, Liver Awareness Month.
Twenty-five million Americans C one in every 10
C are or have been afflicted with liver, bile duct or
gallbladder diseases. The American Liver Foundation
is the only national voluntary health organization dedicated
to preventing, treating and curing hepatitis and other
liver and gallbladder diseases through research and
education. www.liverfoundation.org.
October 1-31, Lupus Awareness Month.
This event is held to promote public awareness of
lupus symptoms to aid in early diagnosis and treatment
of this disease.www.lupus.org.
October 1-31, National AIDS Awareness
Month. This month educates consumers, patients,
students and professionals on the prevention of AIDS
and sexually transmitted diseases. ppsi@aol.com.
October 1-31, National Brain Injury
Awareness Month. Nearly 2 million Americans sustain
brain injuries each year C one-fourth of these injuries
are severe enough to require hospital admission. With
one brain injury occurring every 15 seconds, this national
health concern ranks as the leading cause of death and
disability in children and young adults. www.biausa.org.
October 1-31, National Breast Cancer
Awareness Month. National Breast Cancer Awareness
Month (NBCAM) focuses on educating women about the early
detection of breast cancer. Through the efforts of Susan
Ford Bales and her mother, former first lady Betty Ford
who testified before a congressional committee about
the crucial need for mammography, National Mammography
Day is part of the month's recognition and is held
this year on October 20. NBCAM has the support of at
least 17 governmental, professional and medical organizations.
The involvement of major organizations in raising breast
cancer awareness ensures that NBCAM reaches millions
of people and extends into every community.
www.nbcam.org
October 1-31, National Dental Hygiene
Month. National Dental Hygiene Month consists of
activities conducted by state and local components of
the American Dental Hygienists' Association. Programs
are coordinated to increase the public's awareness
of the importance of oral health care needs and to strengthen
dental hygienists' image as preventive oral health
care providers. www.adha.org
October 1-31, National Disability
Employment Month. The purpose of this month is to
foster the full integration of people with disabilities
into the work force. www.nish.org.
October 1-31, National Family Health
Month. Family physicians receive specialized medical
training unique to family practice. Their approach encompasses
the whole person within the context of the family, not
just a single disease or specific part of the body.
During the month of October, special emphasis is given
to encouraging individuals to take a closer look at
their own and their family's total health and to
discuss any concerns or questions with their family
physician. Family Health Month is an ideal time to develop
a health plan designed specifically to meet an individual's
or family's special health care needs. www.aafp.org.
October 1-31, National Family Sexuality
Education Month. Parents are their children's
first and most important sexuality educators. In support
of this principle, National Family Sexuality Education
Month has been observed every October by a growing national
coalition of social service, education and health care
organizations. Local chapters of those groups celebrate
the month with special programs, publications, promotions
and an increase in the amount of media focused on the
important role of parents as their children's primary
sexuality educators. www.plannedparenthood.org.
October 1-31, National Medical Librarians'
Month. This month recognizes and celebrates the
importance and achievements of the health sciences information
professional. Medical librarians help physicians, nurses,
researchers, technicians, medical and allied health
students, hospital administrators, dentists, social
workers, pharmacists and many others find the information
they need in this maze of print and electronic resources.
mlanet.org.
October 1-31, National Orthodontic
Health Month. A beautiful, healthy smile is only
the most obvious benefit of orthodontic treatment. This
month spotlights the important role of orthodontic care
in overall physical health and emotional well-being.
For more information, contact: Bill Beggs, media relations
manager, The Hughes Group, 130 S. Bemiston, St. Louis,
MO 63105.
October 1-31, National Pharmacy Month.
To increase patient awareness of compliance when
taking prescription drugs, pharmacists counsel patients,
offer health screenings and sometimes immunize and/or
offer clinics to immunize. For more information, contact:
Community Pharmacy, 407 FM 720 West, Ste. 7, P.O. Box
1148, Little Elm, TX 75068, Phone: 972/294-7114.
October 1-31, National Physical Therapy
Month. Across the nation, physical therapists, physical
therapist assistants and physical therapy students will
host educational and fun activities to celebrate the
profession and to educate the public about the benefits
of physical therapy. www.apta.org.
October 1-31, National Spinal Health
Month. For information, contact the American Chiropractic
Association,www.amerchiro.org.
October 1-31, National Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome Awareness Month. This month-long
focus on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (also called crib
death, the nation's major cause of death for infants
beyond one week of age) promotes the "Back to Sleep
Campaign" to increase both public awareness and
funds available for medical research and family services.
For more information, contact: sidshq@charm.net.
October 1-31, Pediatric Cancer Awareness
Month. Cancer is the chief cause of death by disease
in children. More than 1,000 children in the United
States die of cancer every year, more than die of AIDs.
For more information, contact: Bear Necessities Pediatric
Cancer Foundation, 85 W. Algonquin Road, Ste. 165, Arlington
Heights, IL 60005, Phone: 847/952-9164.
October 1-31, Rett Syndrome Awareness
Month. This month is set aside to promote awareness
of this neurological disease. www2.paltech.com/irsa.
October 1-31, Talk About Prescriptions
Month. This month is dedicated to improving communications
between health care professionals and patients about
prescription medicines and to ensure their safe, appropriate
use. This event will involve more than 50,000 health
professionals nationwide.www.talkaboutrx.org.
October 1-31, Unmasking Halloween
Dangers Month. Children should be encouraged to
use makeup for Halloween instead of masks, which obscure
vision. Costume props should be carefully selected so
that Halloween will be fun and safe. www.preventblindness.org.
October 1-31, Vegetarian Awareness
Month. According to the American Dietetic Association
appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful,
nutritiously adequate and provide health benefits in
the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. This
educational event advances awareness of the many surprising
ethical, environmental, economic, health, humanitarian
and other benefits of the increasingly popular vegetarian
lifestyle and promotes personal and planetary healing
with respect for all life. For more information, contact:
Vegetarian Awareness Network/VEGANET, Communications
Center, P.O. Box 321, Knoxville, TN 37901, Phone: 880/EAT-VEGE.
October 1-7, Mental Illness Awareness
Week. The purpose of the week is to focus public
attention on mental illnesses, the pain and suffering,
the underlying causes, new advances and the availability
of treatments. Mental Illness Awareness Week is always
the first full week in October. Materials are available.www.psych.org.
October 1-7, National Health Care
Food Service Week. This week honors employees who
work behind the scenes preparing and serving food in
health care facilities. www.ashfsa.org.
October 1-7, National Nurse-Midwifery
Week. Certified nurse-midwives offer today's
women empowerment during pregnancy, a choice for natural
childbirth and a lifetime of safe, personalized health
care. In celebration of Nurse-Midwifery Week, more than
6,000 certified nurse-midwives throughout the United
States are offering special educational programs to
acquaint women with their professional skills as providers
of quality health care. www.midwife.org
October 1-7, National Skin Care Awareness
Week. This special week focuses on providing education
on caring for your skin. Topics include protecting your
skin from the dangers of the sun, how diet and lifestyle
affect your skin, developing a proper skin care routine
and myths and facts about skin care products. www.reneerouleau.com.
October 1-7, Nuclear Medicine Week.
This week has been developed to heighten the public's
awareness of the progress made in the diagnosis and
treatment of disease through the estimated 12 million
nuclear medicine procedures performed on patients each
year.www.snm.org.
October 1-7, Wegener's Granulomatosis
(W.G.) Awareness Week. This is a chronic, uncommon
autoimmune, vasculitis disease that affects the body
as a whole. It causes inflammation of the blood vessels,
especially endangering sinuses, lungs and kidneys, but
may not affect all areas. Early diagnosis and proper
treatment can effect remission. W.G. may be diagnosed
by ANCA blood test and tissue biopsy. Since W.G. is
often misdiagnosed until the patient's organs are
badly damaged, awareness is of utmost importance. www.wgsg.org.
October 2, Child Health Day. A
presidential proclamation has been issued for the first
Monday of October since 1928. In 1959, Congress changed
the celebration day from May 1 to the present observance.
October 2-6, No Salt Week. Give
no-salt cooking and food preparation a try! This celebration
will help with recipes and combinations. For ideas,
send a large self-addressed, stamped envelope. For information,
contact: Make it Tasty Spice Co., Box 416, Denver, CO
80201, Phone: 303/575-5676.
October 2-8, Sonographer Awareness
Week. This week recognizes the professionals who
use diagnostic ultrasound to provide information to
assist physicians in their diagnoses. www.sdms.org.
October 5, National Depression Screening
Day. National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) is
a mental health outreach program designed to destigmatize
depression and manic-depression and educate people about
the signs, symptoms and treatments. It also has a suicide
prevention component aimed toward teaching friends and
family members of depressed individuals how to "listen
for suicide" and what to do. Created by the National
Mental Illness Screening Project (NMISP), NDSD provides
individuals with the opportunity to take a written screening
test, discuss the results with a mental health professional
and be referred if necessary. The screenings are implemented
by local health professionals with materials supplied
by NMISP. www.nmisp.org.
October 6, National Physician Assistant
Day. Sponsored by the American Academy of Physician
Assistants, this day honors the graduation of the first
class of physician assistants. Physician assistants
are licensed health professionals who practice medicine
with physicians as a team. They provide a broad range
of medical services, including diagnosing and treating
illnesses, suturing wounds and assisting in surgery.www.aapa.org.
October 7-8, 1999 Alzheimer's
Association Memory Walk. Memory Walk is a fun, family-oriented
event developed to raise funds and generate awareness
for Alzheimer's Association chapters cross the
country. More than 200 communities participate. www.alz.org
October 7-8, American Heart Walk.
This event is an opportunity to promote exercise
as well as educate people about heart disease and stroke.
Participants in more than 900 U.S. cities and towns
ask their families and friends for a flat donation to
the American Heart Association for walking the course.
www.americanheart.org.
October 8-14, National Adult Immunization
Awareness Week (NAIAW). Thousands of deaths occur
needlessly each year – deaths that easily could
be prevented by today's available vaccines. NAIAW
emphasizes the importance of appropriately vaccinating
adults against measles, mumps rubella, hepatitis A,
hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, influenza, pneumococcal
disease and varicella. www.nfid.org/ncai.
October 8-14, National Fire Prevention
Week — Fire Drills: The Great Escape! This
week reminds people to practice fire safety throughout
the year. It includes the anniversary of the Chicago
Fire of 1871 (October 9), which prompted attention to
fire prevention.www.nfpa.org
and www.sparky.org.
October 8-14, National Healthcare
Resource and Materials Management Week. This week
recognizes materials management staff and the contributions
they make to their institutions and the health care
field. www.ahrmm.org.
October 8-14, National School Lunch
Week. National School Lunch Week is sponsored by
the American School Food Service Association to promote
the importance of school nutrition programs as a part
of the overall education day. www.asfsa.org.
October 9-15, National Healthcare
Central Service Week. National Healthcare Central
Service Week is the time set aside each year to demonstrate
the importance of health care's central service
teams. Show support to staff, colleagues and friends
with gifts that range from ceramic mugs to totebags.
www.ashcsp.org.
October 10, World Mental Health Day.
This day serves as a focal point for raising public
awareness of mental health issues on a global level.
Public events, such as conferences, ceremonies and meetings,
are sponsored by World Federation for Mental Health
member organizations in more than 114
countries on six continents. Rosalynn Carter serves
as Honorary Chair. www.wfmh.org.
October 13, SAVE Today. Stop America's
Violence Everywhere is a year-round initiative of the
American Medical Association Alliance directed at eliminating
the epidemic of violence that plagues our schools, families
and communities. SAVE Today, observed on the second
Wednesday in October, is set aside to focus nationwide
attention on ways we can work together. For the next
year, the focus will be "SAVE Schools from Violence
to Make Peace on School Campuses A Reality." www.ama-assn.org/Alliance.
October 14-20, National Pharmacy Week.
To increase patient awareness of compliance when taking
prescription drugs, pharmacists counsel patients, offer
health screenings and sometimes immunize and/or offer
clinics to immunize. For more information, contact:
Community Pharmacy, 407 FM 720 West, Ste. 7, P.O. Box
1148, Little Elm, TX 75068, Phone: 972/294-7114.
October 15-21, Dystonia Awareness
Week. Dystonia is a neurological disorder that is
characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that
force certain parts of the body into abnormal, sometimes
painful, movements or positions. The Dystonia Medical
Research Foundation's mission is to advance research
into the cause of and cure for dystonia, create public
and physician awareness of dystonia and sponsor educational
and support programs. www.dystonia-foundation.org.
October 15-21, Hepatitis Awareness
Week. An estimated 5 million people are carriers
of either the hepatitis B or hepatitis C viruses and
are in danger of developing a serious, and often fatal,
liver disease. The American Liver Foundation can provide
information on vaccination for hepatitis B, treatments,
risk factors and the latest research.www.liverfoundation.org.
October 15-21, National School Bus
Safety Week. This week is set aside to focus attention
on school bus safety — from the standpoint of bus
drivers, students and the motoring public. The theme
for 2000 is Railroad Crossing-Quiet Zone. A poster contest
is held each year, and free posters and activity books
are distributed on written request during the months
of June, July, August and September. www.schooltrans.com.
October 15-22, National Infection
Control Week. A resource catalog is available from
the Association for Professionals in Infection Control
and Epidemiology (APIC). APIC promotes wellness and
prevents illness and infection worldwide by advancing
health care epidemiology through education, collaboration,
research, practice and credentialing. www.apic.org.
October 16, National Boss Day. This
event is held annually on October 16 for all employees
to honor their bosses. For more information, contact:
Mrs. Patricia Bays Haroski, 2871-F Walnut View Court,
Winston-Salem, NC 27103.
October 16, World Food Day. This
day is held to increase awareness, understanding and
informed action on hunger and is held annually on the
founding date of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
For more information, contact: Patricia Young, national
coordinator, U.S. National Committee for World Food
Day, 2175 K St., NW, Washington, DC 20437, Phone: 202/653-2404,
Fax: 202/653-5760.
October 16-20, National Medical Assistants'
Week. This week recognizes all medical assistants
and educates the public about the vital role they play
in the health care delivery system. Programs for the
week include proclamation signings, public service announcements
and office receptions. www.amtl.com.
October 16-22, National Nephrology
Technician/Technologist Week. This weeklong event
is celebrated to increase public and professional awareness
of professionals involved in patient care, dialyzer
reuse, equipment maintenance and kidney transplantation
and administrative areas in nephrology. The celebration
also recognizes the contributions dialysis professionals
make to the health care field and to their patients'
quality of life. www.nephroworld.com.
October 18, National Patient Account
Management Day. Hospital and medical business offices
will celebrate this special occasion with awareness
and recognition activities for patient account staff,
who play a vital role in the delivery of high-quality
health care. National Patient Account Management Day
offers an opportunity to increase awareness of the importance
of patient account management and to recognize staff
for their accomplishments. For more information or to
request a packet, contact: scott_hall@dc.sba.com.
October 18-24, National Health Education
Week. This week is celebrated to recognize comprehensive
school health education programs K-12. Health education
can effectively promote the knowledge, attitudes and
behaviors students need to grow into healthy adults.
A comprehensive school health program includes health
instruction, health services and a safe and healthy
school environment. www.nhe.org.
October 20, National Mammography Day.
On National Mammography Day, women across America are
encouraged to receive or sign up for a screening mammogram
or to make a commitment to get one. See National Breast
Cancer Awareness Month October 1-31.
October 22-28, National Healthcare
Facilities and Engineering Week. This week recognizes
health care facilities engineers and facilities managers.
Many engineering departments in health care facilities
conduct their own festivities, including open houses,
departmental tours and luncheons. www.ashe.org.
October 22-28, National Massage Therapy
Awareness Week. This week was instituted by the
American Massage Therapy Association to increase public
awareness of the value of message therapy in wellness
and health. Particular attention is given to the benefits
of massage therapy as a complement to traditional medicine
for illness, injury and pain and in relieving stress.
www.amtamassage.org.
October 22-28, National Healthcare
Quality Week. This week is sponsored by the National
Association for Healthcare Quality to increase the awareness
and appreciation of health care quality within hospitals
and throughout the community. National Healthcare Quality
Week also unites health care quality professionals and
encourages the recognition and celebration of special
health care quality achievements. www.nahq.org.
October 22-28, National Save Your
Back Week. This week is designed to educate the
population on proper back care. Sponsor: Daniel S. Romm,
M.D., c/o VAMC (117), Rehab Medicine Department, 400
Veteran's Ave., Biloxi, MS 39531, Phone: 601/388-5541,
ext. 5815, Fax: 601/385-4517.
October 22-29, Pastoral Care Week.
This week honors clergy of all faiths who provide
pastoral care in congregations and in specialized settings
such as hospitals, correctional facilities, mental health
systems, the military and counseling centers. This year's
theme is "Pastoral Care: Diversity of Spirituality."
www.pastoralcareweek.org.
October 23-31, National Red Ribbon
Week. More than 80 million children and parents
celebrate a healthy drug-free life by wearing or displaying
a red ribbon during the Red Ribbon Celebration. National
Family Partnership provides leadership for this important
event. This nationwide celebration has become a major
force for raising public awareness and mobilizing communities
to combat alcohol and drug use among youth. www.nfp.org.
TBD, National Gerontological Nursing
Week. This week advances the specialty practice
of gerontological nursing to improve the care and well-being
of older adults. For more information, contact: ngna@puetzamc.com.
TBD, National Nurse Attorneys Week.
This week advances the specialty practice of nurse attorneys
in order to educate the public on matters of nursing,
health care and the law. For more information, contact:
TAANA@puetzamc.com.
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