From sidewalks and seat belts to vaccines and prenatal care, public health is an everyday part of life. This year’s National Public Health Week theme, “Public Health is Where You Are,” highlights the fact that health is a part of every community.

The APHA-led event, which kicks off Monday, will bring together health workers, students, health advocates and community leaders across the U.S. to celebrate and raise awareness of public health.

Hundreds of NPHW 2022 supporters are organizing events across the U.S. Organizers have been spreading the word about their events in their communities and across social media, building excitement for their celebrations. From a public health fair in Harrison County, Iowa, and cooking demonstration in Bloomington, Indiana, to a panel on global immunization in Fairfax, Virginia, and gun violence advocacy discussion in Philadelphia, activities cover a wide range.

While many events are aimed at a general audience, others focus on the workforce, with discussions on burnout, resiliency and inclusion. Public health careers will be the topic of a range of activities, such as a talk on working in the pharmaceutical industry in Philadelphia, a career spotlight panel in St. Louis and a “public health careers 101” event in Washington, D.C. 

The virtual aspect of many events this year makes NPHW both a community and national event, said Lindsey Wahowiak, APHA’s director of Affiliate affairs.

“People can participate with APHA’s virtual events, or find something happening in their own neck of the woods,” Wahowiak said. “You can learn from experts and communities that you might otherwise never get the chance to connect with.”

NPHW celebrants can add their events to APHA’s online calendar to share them with others. Health professionals can also browse the calendar to get ideas for their activities or make plans to attend events.

APHA will lead virtual events during NPHW that are open to all. On Monday, community leaders will discuss how public health can collaborate with community leaders to build trust. The forum features a diverse panel of community health leaders. 

Tuesday is Student Day and will feature a young professionals career panel and mentoring webinar, involving three generations of the mentor-mentee relationship. A Wednesday webinar from the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge will highlight work that communities are doing to boost local access to care and food.

The always popular NPHW Twitter chat, which gains millions of views each year, will also be held Wednesday. Other activities will continue through the end of NPHW on Sunday.

“There’s something for everyone in this year’s National Public Health Week,” Wahowiak said. “We’re excited to have so many people working together to elevate public health in their communities.”

Illustration by The Nation's Health, Photo by Peopleimages, iStockphoto