Here are the days, weeks and months set aside to raise awareness or recognize healthcare conditions and workers.
January
• National Blood Donor Month
• National Glaucoma Awareness Month
• Cervical Health Awareness Month
• Thyroid Awareness Month
• National Birth Defects Prevention Month
Weeks to note:
• Jan. 6-12: Folic Acid Awareness Week
• Jan. 6-27: National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
Days to note:
• Jan. 25: National Intravenous Nurse Day
• Jan. 31: Give Kids A Smile Day
February
• American Heart Month
• AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
• National Cancer Prevention Month
• International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
Weeks to note:
• Feb. 1-7: Patient Recognition Week
• Feb. 7-14: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
• Feb. 10-16: National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
• Feb. 14-21: Alzheimer's and Dementia Staff Education Week
Days to note:
• Feb. 1: National Wear Red Day for women's heart health
• Feb. 4: World Cancer Day
• Feb. 7: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• Feb. 14: National Donor Day
• Feb. 22: National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day
March
• National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
• Brain Injury Awareness Month
• National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
• Save Your Vision Month
• National Nutrition Month
• Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
• National Kidney Month
• National Endometriosis Awareness Month
• Trisomy Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
• March 10-16: Patient Safety Awareness Week
• March 10-16: National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week
• March 11-17: Brain Awareness Week
• March 11-17: National Sleep Awareness Week
Days to note:
• March 10: National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• March 13: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day
• March 14: World Kidney Day
• March 20: World Oral Health Day
• March 20: National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• March 24: World TB Day
• March 26: The American Diabetes Association Alert Day
• March 30: National Doctor's Day
April
• National Occupational Therapy Month
• National Parkinson's Awareness Month
• National Cancer Control Month
• Stress Awareness Month
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
• National Autism Awareness Month
• Oral Cancer Awareness Month
• Counseling Awareness Month
• Alcohol Awareness Month
• National Interprofessional Health Care Month
• National Minority Health Month
• Oral Cancer Awareness Month
• Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
• STI Awareness Month
• Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
• Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
Weeks to note:
• April 1-7: World Health Worker Week
• April 1-7: National Public Health Week
• April 7-13: National Volunteer Week
• April 18-24: National Minority Cancer Awareness Week
• April 18-24: National Minority Cancer Awareness Week
• April 21-27: National Infertility Awareness Week
• April 22-28: World Immunization Week
Days to note:
• April 2: Sexual Assault Awareness Day of Action
• April 7: World Health Day
• April 10: National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day
• April 15: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
• April 16: National Healthcare Decisions Day
• April 24: World Meningitis Day
• April 25: World Malaria Day
May
• Better Hearing and Speech Month
• Employee Health and Fitness Month
• Healthy Vision Month
• National American Stroke Month
• National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
• Older Americans Month
• National High Blood Pressure Education Month
• National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Awareness Month
• National Mental Health Month
• Arthritis Awareness Month
• Hepatitis Awareness Month
• National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
• Preeclampsia Awareness Month
• Oncology Nursing Month
Weeks to note:
• May 6-12: National Nurses Week
• May 7-13: Children's Mental Health Awareness Week
• May 12-18: National Nursing Home Week
• May 12-18: National Hospital Week
• May 14-20: National Women's Health Week
Days to note:
• May 5: Save Lives: Clean Your Hands Campaign
• May 18: HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
• May 19: National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
• May 20: World Autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Arthritis Day
• May 31: World No Tobacco Day
June
• National Safety Month
• Cataract Awareness Month
• Men's Health Month
• National Scleroderma Awareness Month
• Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
• National Aphasia Awareness Month
• National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
• June 2-8: National Migraine Awareness Week
• June 10-16: National Men's Health Week
• June 13-19: National Nursing Assistant Week
• June 24-30: Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week
Days to note:
• June 2: Cancer Survivors Day
• June 8: Family Health & Fitness Day
• June 13: National Career Nursing Assistants Day
• June 14: World Blood Donor Day
• June 19: World Sickle Cell Day
• June 27: National HIV Testing Day
July
• Eye Injury Prevention Month
• UV Safety Month
• National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month
• International Group B Strep Awareness Month
• Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
• Cord Blood Awareness Month
Days to note:
• July 23: National Parents Day
• July 28: World Hepatitis Day
August
• National Immunization Awareness Month
• Medic Alert Awareness Month
• Gastroparesis Awareness Month
• Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
• Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month
• National Breastfeeding Month
• Psoriasis Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
• Aug. 1-8: World Breastfeeding Week
• Aug. 4-10: National Health Center Week
• Aug. 23-29: Health Unit Coordinators Week
Days to note:
• Aug. 23: Health Unit Coordinators Day
September
• Pain Awareness Month
• Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• Healthy Aging Month
• National Cholesterol Education Month
• National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
• Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Awareness Month
• National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
• National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
• National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
• National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
• Sepsis Awareness Month
• National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
• National Recovery Month
• Sexual Health Awareness Month
• World Alzheimer's Month
Weeks to note:
• Sept. 8-14: National Suicide Prevention Week
• Sept. 8-14: National Assisted Living Week
• Sept. 21-27: National Rehabilitation Awareness Week
• Sept. 23-27: Fungal Disease Awareness Week
• Sept. 23-27: Malnutrition Awareness Week
Days to note:
• Sept 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
• Sept. 13: National Celiac Disease Awareness Day
• Sept. 18: National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day
• Sept. 23: National Falls Prevention Awareness Day
• Sept. 28: World Rabies Day
• Sept. 29: World Heart Day
October
• National Physical Therapy Month
• American Pharmacists Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Dental Hygiene Month
• National Chiropractic Month
• Residents' Rights Month
• Eye Injury Prevention Month
• Health Literacy Month
• National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
• Oct. 1-5: National Primary Care Week
• Oct. 6-12: National Mental Illness Awareness Week
• Oct. 8-15: Case Management Week
• Oct. 12-20: Bone and Joint Health Action Week
• Oct. 13-19: International Infection Prevention Week
• Oct. 20-26: National Healthcare Quality Week
• Oct. 20-26: National Respiratory Care Week
• Oct. 21-25: National Health Education Week
Days to note:
• Oct. 11: National Depression Screening Day
• Oct. 10: World Mental Health Day
• Oct. 12: World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
• Oct. 13: Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
• Oct. 15: Global Handwashing Day
• Oct. 15: National Latino AIDS Awareness Day
• Oct. 19: World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day
• Oct. 21: National Check Your Meds Day
• Oct. 29: World Psoriasis Day
November
• National Hospice/Palliative Care Month
• National Family Caregivers Month
• National Home Health Care Month
• National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
• American Diabetes Month
• Lung Cancer Awareness Month
• Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
• Bladder Health Month
• COPD Awareness Month
• Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month
• National Healthy Skin Month
Weeks to note:
• Nov. 12-18: U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week
• Nov. 14-20: Home Care Aide Week
• Nov. 17-23: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Awareness Week
Days to note:
• Nov. 11: Veterans Day
• Nov. 14: World Diabetes Day
• Nov. 28: National Family Health History Day
December
• Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis Month
Weeks to note:
• Dec. 1-7: National Influenza Vaccination Week
• Dec. 2-8: National Handwashing Awareness Week
Days to note:
• Dec. 1: World AIDS Day
Note: This is not an exhaustive list.
Sources:
1. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization:
https://www.nhpco.org/publications/2019-health-observance-dates
2. WHO:
https://www.who.int/hrh/news/2019/7th-annual-world-health-worker-week/en/
3. American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living:
https://www.ahcancal.org/events/Documents/2019_Healthcare_Observances_Calendar.pdf
4. Globalhandwashingday.org:
https://globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day/
5. HHS' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion-National Health Observances:
https://healthfinder.gov/NHO/nhoyear.aspx?year=2019