The Lawrence County Health Department, City of Ironton Health Department and CareSource want to invite the community to celebrate Public Health Week with us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in front of the building at 2122 S. Eighth St.

Lots of activities are planned and there will be a variety of displays by agencies serving the county.

There will be a World of Sports game for children, screenings for blood pressure and glucose, BMI screenings, and immunization checks for children. The street in front of the health departments will be blocked off for the games and displays. Light refreshments will also be provided.

Public Health Week is the first week in April and focuses attention on issues that promote health, wellness and safety across the country. Public health saves lives and saves money.

In 2013, Public Health Week is about raising awareness of the value of public health and prevention in our lives, our health and our pocketbooks.

Here are some real-life examples of the public health return on investment from the American Public Health Association.

• About 42,000 adults and 300 children die every year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Every dollar spent on childhood immunizations alone saves $18.40.

• If 10 percent of adults began walking regularly, $5.6 billion in heart disease costs could be avoided.

• From 1991 to 2006, investments in HIV prevention averted more than 350,000 infections and saved more than $125 billion in medical costs.

• If every state without a comprehensive smoke-free policy adopted one, they could reduce smoking-related deaths by 624,000; thereby, saving more than $316 million in lung cancer treatment and more than $875 million in heart attack and stroke treatment over five years.

To choose a healthy, safer life style, start with these small but helpful actions:

1. Eat healthy meals

2. Get enough exercise

3. Quit smoking

4. Get routine screenings, such as blood pressure and HIV testing

5. Keep up-to-date on immunizations

6. Wash hands to help limit the spread of infection

Health departments can provide information and help with all of these actions, so visit your local health department.

 

Maxine Lewis is the health educator for the Lawrence County Health Department. She can be reached at (740) 532-3962 or maxine.lewis@odh.ohio.gov.