Health observances are days, weeks, or months devoted to promoting particular health concerns.
Health professionals, teachers, community groups, and others can use these special times to sponsor health promotion events, stimulate awareness of health risks, or focus on disease prevention. Materials available from sponsoring organizations range from a single flyer to packets of promotional materials.
Information appearing in this document does not represent an endorsement by the Office of Minority Health or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which do not have any role in naming national health observances.
For more information, please contact the sponsoring organization directly.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Affairs Contacts
May 2009
- American Stroke Month
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3026377
- Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=10&sub=99&cont=457
- Better Sleep Month
http://www.bettersleep.org
- Clean Air Month
http://www.lungusa.org
- Healthy Vision Month
http://www.healthyvision2010.nei.nih.gov/hvm
- Hepatitis Awareness Month
http://www.hepfi.org
- Lupus Awareness Month
http://www.lupus.org
- Lyme Disease Awareness Month
http://www.lyme.org
- Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
http://www.aad.org
- Mental Health Month
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may
- Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Month
http://www.mcs-america.org
- National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month
http://www.lesturnerals.org
- National Arthritis Awareness Month
http://www.arthritis.org
- National Bike Month
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikeMonth
- National Cancer Research Month
http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/public-policy--legislative-affairs/national-cancer-research-Month.aspx
- National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
http://www.americanceliac.org
- National High Blood Pressure Education Month
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
- National Neurofibromatosis Month
http://www.ctf.org
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
http://www.nof.org/awareness2/annual.htm
- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
http://www.fitness.gov
- National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/ntppm.htm
- Older Americans Month
http://www.aoa.gov
- Sturge-Weber Awareness Month
http://www.sturge-weber.org
- Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month
http://www.tsalliance.org
- Ultraviolet Awareness Month
http://www.preventblindness.org
- May 3 - 9
North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
http://www.asse.org/newsroom/naosh09
- May 4
Melanoma Monday
http://www.aad.org
- May 6 - 12
National Mental Health Counseling Week
http://www.amhca.org
- May 9
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day
http://www.cdlsusa.org
- May 10 - 16
Food Allergy Awareness Week
http://www.foodallergy.org/FAAW/index.html
- May 10 - 16
National Alcohol- and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Week
http://www.ncadd.org
- May 10 - 16
National Women's Health Week
http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw
- May 11 - 17
National Stuttering Awareness Week
http://www.stutteringhelp.org
- May 11 - 15
National Neuropathy Week
http://www.neuropathy.org
- May 11
National Women's Check-up Day
http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/about/checkupDay.cfm
- May 12
Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day
http://www.womenshealthresearch.org
- May 18 - 24
Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/rwi_prevention_Week.htm
- May 18
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/events/HVAD
- May 19
Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Day
http://www.22q13.org
- May 20
National Employee Health and Fitness Day
http://www.physicalfitness.org/nehf.html
- May 24 - 30
Older American's Mental Health Week
http://www.owl-national.org/Welcome.html
- May 31
World No Tobacco Day
http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/en/
This information is in the public domain, and duplication is encouraged. Please provide an appropriate credit line in any reproduction of this information, whether print or electronic: "Source: 2009 National Health Observances, National Health Information Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC."