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
• National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
• Cervical Health Awareness Month
• Thyroid Awareness Month
• National Birth Defects Prevention Month
Days to note:
• Jan. 25: National Intravenous Nurse Day
February
• American Heart Month
• AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
• National Cancer Prevention Month
• International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
Weeks to note:
• Feb. 1 to Feb. 7: Patient Recognition Week
• Feb. 7 to Feb. 14: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
• Feb. 12 to Feb. 18: National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
• Feb. 14 to Feb. 21: Alzheimer's and Dementia Staff Education Week
Days to note:
• Feb. 3: National Wear Red Day for women's heart health
• Feb. 4: World Cancer 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
Weeks to note:
• March 12 to March 18: Patient Safety Awareness Week
• March 12 to March 18: Long Term Care Administrators Week
• March 12 to March 18: National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week
Days to note:
• March 8: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day
• March 20: World Oral Health Day
• March 22: The American Diabetes Association Alert Day
• March 24: World TB 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
Weeks to note:
• April 2 to April 8: World Health Worker Week
• April 3 to April 9: National Public Health Week
• April 18 to April 24: National Minority Cancer Awareness Week
• April 18 to April 24: National Minority Cancer Awareness Week
• April 23 to April 29: National Volunteer Week
• April 23 to April 29: National Infertility Awareness Week
• April 23 to April 30: World Immunization Week
Days to note:
• April 7: World Health 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
Weeks to note:
• May 6 to May 12: National Nurses Week
• May 7 to May 13: National Hospital Week
• May 14 to May 20: National Nursing Home Week
• May 14 to May 20: National Women's Health Week
Days to note:
• May 5: Save Lives: Clean Your Hands Campaign
• May 31: World No Tobacco Day
June
• National Safety Month
• Cataract Awareness Month
• Men's Health Month
• National Scleroderma Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
• June 1 to June 7: National Migraine Awareness Week
• June 12 to June 18: National Men's Health Week
• June 15 to June 22: National Nursing Assistant Week
• June 24 to June 30: Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week
Days to note:
• June 4: Cancer Survivors 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
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
Weeks to note:
• Aug. 1 to Aug. 7: World Breastfeeding Week
• Aug. 13 to Aug. 19: National Health Center Week
• Aug. 14 to Aug. 18: Fungal Disease Awareness 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
Weeks to note:
• Sept. 10 to Sept. 16: National Assisted Living Week
• Sept. 17 to Sept. 23: National Rehabilitation Awareness Week
Days to note:
• Sept. 13: National Celiac Disease Awareness Day
• Sept. 22: Falls Prevention Awareness Day
• Sept. 29: World Heart Day
October
• National Physical Therapy Month
• American Pharmacists Month
• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Dental Hygiene Month
• National Chiropractic Month
• Residents' Rights Month
Weeks to note:
• Oct. 1 to Oct. 7: National Mental Illness Awareness Week
• Oct. 2 to Oct. 6: National Primary Care Week
• Oct. 8 to Oct. 15: Case Management Week
• Oct. 12 to Oct. 20: Bone and Joint Health Action Week
• Oct. 15 to Oct. 21 National Healthcare Quality Week
• Oct. 16 to Oct. 20: National Health Education Week
• Oct. 22 to Oct. 28: National Respiratory Care Week
Days to note:
• Oct. 5: National Depression Screening Day
• Oct. 10: World Mental Health Day
• Oct 8: World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
• Oct. 13: Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
• Oct. 15: Global Handwashing 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
Weeks to note:
• Nov. 12 to Nov. 18: Home Care Aide Week
• Nov. 13 to Nov. 19: World Antibiotic Awareness Week
• Nov. 20 to Nov. 26: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Awareness Week
Days to note:
• Nov. 11: Veteran's Day
• Nov. 14: World Diabetes Day
December
Weeks to note:
• Dec. 3 to Dec. 9: National Hand Washing Awareness Week
• Dec. 4 to Dec. 11: National Influenza Vaccination Week
Days to note:
• Dec. 1: World AIDS Day
Sources:
1. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization:
https://www.nhpco.org/publications/2017-health-observance-dates
2. WHO:
http://www.who.int/hrh/news/2017/5th_health-worker-week/en/
3. American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living:
https://www.ahcancal.org/events/Documents/2017%20Healthcare%20Observances%20Calendar.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=2017