Fourth of July Celebrations, Barbecues, Fireworks, and the ER

You might have packed the Pepto to protect yourself from Aunt Tillie’s potato salad and the SPF Broad spectrum sunscreen for Uncle George’s bald head, but you should also be mindful about protecting yourself against Independence Day injuries from fireworks. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 2004 about 9,600 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. Over half the injuries were burns and most of the injuries involved the hands, eyes, and head. About half of the victims were under 15 years of age. As you would expect most Fourth of July injuries are to the hands and fingers, but according to Prevent Blindness America, 1,400 were to the eyes, including contusions and lacerations, debris in the eye and burns. Eye injuries can take a very long time to heal, and can result in permanent vision loss.
So as you head out for the holiday, don’t forget to pack a dose of some common sense, and if you are living in a state that allows fireworks, take caution.

Some Fireworks Safety Tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
• Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned.
• Keep a bucket of water in case of a malfunction or fire.

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Rapid HIV Tests

In a report issued in the June 22, 2006 issue of The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distributed rapid HIV tests to 230 organizations in the United States and identified 4,650 HIV infections among 372,960 rapid tests administered. What's good about the Rapid HIV Test? Conventional tests require people to wait two weeks before they can get the reuslts, giving people more time to think about jumping ship and not returning to the clinic. Rapid tests can reduce the angst of the wait and offers an opportunity to get immediate counselling.

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Are You Walking Around with HIV?

National HIV Testing Day: Each year, on June 27, National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA-US) organizes National HIV Testing Day, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to encourage at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing. An estimated 250,000 Americans today are unaware of their own HIV infection. Are you at risk for HIV infection? To find out where you can get tested visit the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, National HIV Testing Resources.

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Why Men are Like Ostriches When it Comes to Their Health

National Men's Health Week: If you ask a brother, father, husband or son the last time they had a check up, you may get a few flailing waves. When it comes to health, men have their heads in the sand. And if you think what you don’t know won’t hurt you, think again.

Leading Causes of Death in Men

Heart Disease 28.4 %
Cancer 24.1%
Unintentional injuries 5.8%
Stroke 5.2%
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 5.1%
Diabetes 2.9%
Influenza and pneumonia 2.4%
Suicide 2.1%
Kidney disease 1.6%
Chronic liver disease 1.5%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Putting prevention into practice by getting certain screening tests, taking medicine if you need it, and practice healthy behaviors such as eating a well-balanced meal, not smoking, and exercising regularly, along with regular medical checkups, can greatly increase your chances of living a longer, healthier life.

Here are some screening tests for the favorite man in your life:

• Cholesterol—at least every 5 years, starting at age 35
• Blood Pressure—at least every 2 years
• Colorectal Cancer—starting at age 50
• Diabetes Screening—especially if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Depression—if you have ever experienced sadness, hopelessness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things for 2 weeks straight or more
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases—everyone who is sexually active
• Prostate Cancer Screening—prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or digital rectal examination (DRE) based on your doctor’s recommendation, usually once a year after age 50

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2006 Health Calendar at a Glance

JANUARY

Cervical Health Awareness Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Thyroid Awareness Month
Jan 9 - 15 National Folic Acid Awareness Week

FEBRUARY

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
Heart Month
Kids E.N.T. (Ears, Nose, Throat) Health Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Feb 3 Give Kids A Smile Day
Feb 3 National Wear Red Day 2006
Feb 5 - 11 National Burn Awareness Week
Feb 7 - 14 Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
Feb 11 - 18 Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
Feb 12 - 18 Children of Alcoholics Week
Feb 13 - 18 National Condom Week
Feb 13 - 17 Duchenne MD Awareness Week
Feb 14 National Donor Day
Feb 17 National Women's Heart Day
Feb 18 - 25 National Porphyria Week
Feb 26 - March 4 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

MARCH

National Brain Injury Awareness Month
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Eye Donor Month
National Kidney Month
National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
National Nutrition Month®
Save Your Vision Month
Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month
Mar 5 - 11 National Patient Safety Awareness Week
Mar 6 - 12 National Problem Gambling Awareness Week
Mar 6 - 10 National School Breakfast Week
Mar 12 - 18 Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week
Mar 13 - 19 Brain Awareness Week
Mar 13 - 17 Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week
Mar 19 - 25 National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week
Mar 19 - 25 National Poison Prevention Week
Mar 24 World Tuberculosis Day 2006
Mar 27 - April 2 National Sleep Awareness Week
Mar 28 American Diabetes Alert Day

APRIL

Alcohol Awareness Month
Cesarean Awareness Month
Counseling Awareness Month
Foot Health Awareness Month
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Awareness Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Donate Life Month
National Facial Protection Month
National Occupational Therapy Month
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Month
Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Apr 3 - 9 National Public Health Week
Apr 3 - 7 National Youth Violence Prevention Week
Apr 6 A Day to End Sexual Violence
Apr 6 National Alcohol Screening Day
Apr 7 World Health Day
Apr 16 World Voice Day
Apr 22 - 29 National Infant Immunization Week
Apr 23 - 29 National Volunteer Week
Apr 29 - 30 2006 WalkAmerica
Apr 29 World Tai Chi & Qigong Day
Apr 30 - May 6 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week

MAY

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Better Sleep Month
Clean Air Month
Healthy Vision Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
Mental Health Month
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) Awareness Month
National Bike Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
National Neurofibromatosis Month
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
National Sight-Saving Month: Ultraviolet Awareness Month
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
National Trauma Awareness Month
Older Americans Month
Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month
May 1 - 7 Brain Tumor Action Week
May 1 - 7 Cover the Uninsured Week
May 1 - 7 National Physical Education and Sport Week
May 1 Melanoma Monday
May 3 National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day
May 3 National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day
May 6 - 13 National SAFE KIDS Week
May 7 - 13 National Mental Health Counseling Week
May 8 - 14 National Stuttering Awareness Week
May 12 Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
May 13 Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) Awareness Day
May 14 - 20 Food Allergy Awareness Week
May 14 - 20 National Alcohol- and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Week
May 14 - 20 National Emergency Medical Services Week
May 14 - 20 National Running and Fitness Week
May 14 - 20 National Women's Health Week
May 15 - 21 Tinnitus Awareness Week
May 15 - 19 Bike to Work Week
May 15 National Women's Check-up Day
May 16 Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day
May 17 National Employee Health and Fitness Day
May 18 HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
May 21 - 27 Schizophrenia Awareness Week
May 22 - 29 Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week
May 25 National Missing Children’s Day
May 31 World No Tobacco Day

JUNE

Jun 1 - July 4 Fireworks Safety Month
Home Safety Month
Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Safety Month
National Scleroderma Awareness Month
Vision Research Month
June 4 - 10 Dystonia Awareness Week
June 4 - 10 National Headache Awareness Week
June 4 - 10 Sun Safety Week
June 4 National Cancer Survivors Day
June 12 - 18 National Men's Health Week
June 21 National ASK Day
June 25 - July 1 Helen Keller Deaf - Blind Awareness Week
June 27 - July 5 Eye Safety Awareness Week
June 27 National HIV Testing Day

JULY

International Group B Strep Awareness Month
UV Safety Month

AUGUST

Cataract Awareness Month
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
Psoriasis Awareness Month
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
Aug 1 - 7 World Breastfeeding Week
Aug 1 National Minority Donor Awareness Day
Aug 6 - 12 National Health Center Week

SEPTEMBER

America On the Move Month of Action
Childhood Cancer Month
Fruit and Vegetable Month
Healthy Aging Month
Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National Food Safety Education Month
National Pain Awareness Month
National Pediculosis Prevention Month/ Head Lice Prevention Month
National Sickle Cell Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Awareness Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Reye's Syndrome Awareness Month
Sports and Home Eye Safety Month
Sep 10 STOP A Suicide Today Day
Sep 10 World Suicide Prevention Day
Sep 17 - 23 National Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration
Sep 17 - 23 Reye's Syndrome Awareness Week
Sep 19 Take A Loved One for a Check-up Day

OCTOBER

Talk About Prescriptions Month
Children's Health Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Halloween Safety Month
Healthy Lung Month
Let's Talk Month
Lupus Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Celiac Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Family Sexuality Education Month
National Medical Librarians Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month
Oct 1 - 7 Hearing Aid Awareness Week
Oct 2 - 6 Drive Safely Work Week
Oct 2 National Child Health Day
Oct 5 National Depression Screening Day
Oct 8 - 14 Fire Prevention Week
Oct 9 - 13 National School Lunch Week
Oct 11 SAVE (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) Today
Oct 12 - 20 Bone and Joint Decade National Awareness Week
Oct 16 - 20 National Health Education Week
Oct 16 World Food Day
Oct 20 National Mammography Day
Oct 22 - 28 Respiratory Care Week
Oct 22 International Stuttering Awareness Day
Oct 25 Lung Health Day

NOVEMBER

American Diabetes Month
COPD Awareness Month
Diabetic Eye Disease Month
Foot Health Issues Related to Diabetes Awareness Month
Jaw Joints - TMJ Awareness Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Adoption Month
National Epilepsy Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Healthy Skin Month
National Hospice Month
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
PH (Pulmonary Hypertension) Awareness Month
Prematurity Awareness Month
Nov 15 World COPD Day
Nov 16 Great American Smokeout
Nov 19 - 25 GERD Awareness Week (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
Nov 21 Prematurity Awareness Day

DECEMBER

Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Dec 1 - 7 National Aplastic Anemia and MDS Awareness Week
Dec 1 World AIDS Day
Dec 3 - 9 National Handwashing Awareness Week

“Source: 2006 National Health Observances, National Health Information Center, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.”

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Health Observances Unleashed

Oftentimes we first learn about a disease or condition when a friend or a loved one announces that have been diagnosed; or when we breeze by the newsstand to catch a glimpse of People Magazine with a celebrity-stricken cover; or a poster on the wall in a scene in ER; or from across your own doctor’s desk, as she utters the words “You have____.”

In an effort to educate the public about health conditions, professional societies and patient advocacy organizations ask the government to declare a proclamation, naming a day, week or month devoted to raising the awareness of certain diseases or conditions.

The Healthline editors hope that you will take advantage of this Health Observance Calendar to improve your own health or the health of family members. This is also an opportunity to seek out local chapters of sponsoring organizations and support these initiatives by volunteering at events near you.

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