Kane County joins in National Public Health Week
The Kane County Health Department joins with communities all across the United States to recognize National Public Health Week in an effort to raise awareness of issues important to improving the public's health. NPHW, April 7-14, draws attention to the need to protect and improve the health of our residents. Every year in the United States, seven out of 10 deaths are due to preventable chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. That is why the Kane County Community Health Improvement Plan identifies chronic diseases as one of the top threats to our community's health and well-being.
As in past years, NPHW, sponsored by the American Public Health Association, has an overarching theme, and this year it is "Public Health: Start Here." In addition to the main theme, five daily themes will address the many different ways public health works for its residents.
"We all have a role to play in making our communities healthier places and we are excited to be a part of that effort. Many small preventive steps can add up to make a big difference," said Barbara Jeffers, Executive Director of the Kane County Health Department.
This year's daily themes are:
• Be healthy from the start: From maternal health and school nutrition to emergency preparedness, public health starts at home. Let us show you around.
• Don't panic: Disaster preparedness starts with communitywide commitment and action. We're here to help you weather the unexpected.
• Get out ahead: Prevention is now a nationwide priority. Let us show you where you fit in.
• Eat well: The system that keeps our nation's food safe and healthy is complex. We can guide you through the choices.
• Be the healthiest nation in one generation: Best practices for community health come from around the globe. We have a world of public health to show you.
Follow us the health department on Twitter (@KaneCoHealth) and Facebook all week to see the different postings relating to each theme, including a video now available for viewing on our website.
For more information about National Public Health Week, visit our website kanehealth.com or the National Public Health Week site at nphw.org.