Accessibility will be one of the themes of the 2022 National Public Health Week. Each daily theme focuses on the inter-connectivity of the people and world around us. Improving the health of the many begins with improving the systems we have created and the earth we live on.
According to the American Public Health Association 26% of the population of the United States (61.4 million adults) live
with a disability. Disability is especially common in tribal
communities, where 2 in 5 non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives live with a disability.
Because of cost,
over 37% of adults with disabilities have been unable to access primary
and regular preventive care. Delayed care puts adults living with
disabilities at greater risk to have other health issues
like heart disease (11.5% versus 3.8% of adults without disabilities)
and diabetes (16.3% versus 7.2%). Access to care is also affected by
access to health insurance. In 2020, 28 million people in the U.S. lacked any type of health insurance."
National Public Health Week 2022 Themes
Racism: A Public Health Crisis (Monday)
Public Health Workforce: Essential to our Future (Tuesday)
Community: Collaboration and Resilience (Wednesday)
World Health Day: Health is a Human Right (Thursday)
Accessibility: Closing the Health Equity Gap (Friday)
Climate Change: Taking Action for Equity (Saturday)
Mental Wellness: Redefining the Meaning of Health (Sunday)