About National Public Health Week

In 1995, former President William Jefferson Clinton proclaimed the first full week of April as National Public Health Week (NPHW). During this week, he called on federal, state, and local health agencies to work with private organizations on building healthier communities and heightening awareness of public health issues around the country.

APHA serves as the lead organizer of NPHW. Each year, APHA develops a national campaign to educate the public, policymakers, and practitioners about a specific issue important to improving the public’s health and provides partner organizations and members with comprehensive planning, organizing, and outreach materials.

History of National Public Health Week

1988
  • The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services begins celebrating Public Health Week during the first week of April.
  • The Southern California Public Health Association and many other agencies and counties in California, along with other states throughout the country, followed suit and began holding their own celebrations of Public Health Week.
1993
  • APHA adopts a policy resolution endorsing a national and annual celebration of Public Health Week during the week in April in which World Health Day occurs
1995
  • President Clinton issued a proclamation of National Public Health Week, to be celebrated the first full week of April. In the proclamation, he called on federal, state, and local health agencies to work with private organizations to celebrate NPHW to work towards building healthier communities and build awareness of public health issues around the country.
  • Public Health Week focused on defining public health. APHA held a briefing on World Health Day at the culmination of Public Health Week. The organization received media coverage as a result of a media campaign, with executive director Fernando Treviño profiled in the May issue of Vista, and government relations staff interviewed by Newshouse News Service. Events were held across the country, in such locations as Halifax, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and Los Angeles, CA.
1996 -- Theme: Celebrating Success
  • APHA launched a more comprehensive media campaign, conducting a radio tour across the country during which leaders gave interviews covering a wide range of public health issues. Events occurred more frequently across the country, with Arizona having 60+ events occur during the week.
1997 -- Theme: Public Health: An Investment in Your Future
  • This year's week coincided with outbreaks of tuberculosis and hepatitis in the District of Columbia. Media immediately contacted the APHA president when the crisis arose because they needed an expert. APHA president was able to give 14 radio/TV interviews because of previous public relations efforts by APHA.
1998 -- Theme: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
  • Secretary of Health and Human Services and Surgeon General spoke at kick-off event, which premiered winners of the first national photography contest (awards categories: photojournalists and public health workers).
1999 -- Theme: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
  • Health departments nationwide hosted open houses and health fairs to show benefits of immunizations, water quality testing, and prenatal care. Also, Colgate-Palmolive sponsored a successful nationwide hand-washing campaign during the week.
2000 -- Theme: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
  • Highlights from the Week: The George Washington University sponsored conferences in the District of Columbia focused on topics such as mental health, racial disparities in care, bioterrorism, violence and Alzheimer's disease; Lawrence, Kansas, used a billboard on a main road to promote Public Health Week, which spurred donations from six businesses; Iowa observed an entire Public Health Month for the first time; Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene held a video conference on "High Tech Health Communication: Reaching into the 21st Century."
2001 -- Theme: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
  • This year's week educated communities about gun violence, smoking, chronic disease, lack of insurance, and racial and ethnic health disparities.
2002 -- Theme: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
  • In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, many activities focused on changes in public health since 9/11, especially bioterrorism and public health preparedness.
  • Highlights from the Week: University of Alabama, Birmingham students held a brown-bag lunch event to raise breast cancer awareness, a screening, a panel discussion on "Erin Brockovich;" and a community service project to repair a home; Bakersfield, CA, held a Health Works! Medical Industry Job Fair where job seekers could get interviewed by employers and trained by the California Caregiver Trainer Initiative.
2003 -- Theme: Getting In Shape for the Future: Healthy Eating and Active Living
  • This is the first year that APHA had a sizable budget with which to promote National Public Health Week, with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation donating well over $100,000.
  • The campaign engaged seven sponsors and 44 partners.
  • This year's week had a focus on nation's struggle with overweight/obesity. The goal of the week was to reduce the percent of adult population that is obese to less than 15% by 2010.
  • The media was very interested in this year's theme. Dr. Benjamin and the Surgeon General made a television appearance that was popular, reaching 7.4 million viewers.
  • APHA created a toolkit with media advocacy tips, facts on overweight/obesity, talking points, and sample news releases to help local organizations/associations. APHA also updated its Planner's Guide. For the first time, there was a comprehensive website dedicated to National Public Health Week.
2004 -- Theme: Eliminating Health Disparities: Communities Moving from Statistics to Solutions
  • APHA diversified its funding base for NPHW. There were 13 sponsors of NPHW 2004, with the American Legacy Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation providing the largest contributions.
  • Over 200 entities on the national, state, county and community level partnered with APHA in NPHW 2004.
  • At the kick-off town hall meeting, APHA launched an online database of community solutions to help eliminate health disparities.
  • APHA, along with its state affiliates, organized town hall events in San Francisco, Chicago, Memphis, and New York City, in addition to the kick-off event in Washington, DC.
  • This year's NPHW website offered fact sheets in both English and Spanish on health disparities, in addition to state fact sheets targeting important Members of Congress.
  • NPHW 2004 was very successful in building coalitions on the local level, giving communities a base from which to launch advocacy efforts.
2005 -- Theme: Empowering Americans to Live Stronger, Longer
  • This year focused on empowering older Americans to live stronger, longer through practicing the three Ps: preventing, protecting and planning.
  • Over 250 partners on the national, state, county and community level partnered with the APHA in 2005.
  • More than 500 events were held across the nation.
  • The Living to 100 assessment tool received 75,000 visits the week of and after NPHW.
  • The web site offered fact sheets in both English and Spanish on healthy aging, in addition to state fact sheets for all 50 states.
  • APHA released a survey on "How Health Conscious are People 55 and Older?"
2006 -- Theme: Designing Healthy Communities
  • This year focused on children and the built environment -- the design of neighborhoods and man-made structures such as buildings, roads and sidewalks. The week showcased national communities that have addressed challenges in their built environment and serve as models for other areas across the nation.
  • NPHW was celebrated in all 50 states by nearly 300 partners on the national, state and local level.
  • APHA hosted a lunch briefing on Capitol Hill during which the Association unveiled five Blue Ribbon Communities that have addressed challenges in their built environment. Briefing participants included actor and activist Edward Norton; Dr. Dora Hughes, health and education advisor to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.); and members of the five Blue Ribbon Communities.
  • Over 375 events took place across the country from health fairs, town hall meetings and school events, to student essay and poster contests, film screenings and other public events.
  • During the week, Sen. Barack Obama and Congresswoman Hilda L.Solis (D-CA) introduced S2506/HR5088, the Healthy Places Act of 2006.
  • On Sept. 20, 2006, APHA collaborated with Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to host a panel breakfast briefing on health disparities and the built environment.