Healthcare Holidays in August 2022

August is smack dab in the middle of the dog days of summer and is when students head back to school – whether you’re going back to school for your BSN or have a child you’re homeschooling on the road. August is also a time to highlight important healthcare awareness observances, like National Minority Donor Awareness Month, National Health Center Week, and more. Keep reading for the healthcare awareness days recognized in August in the U.S.

Month-long Observances 

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month 

Healthy vision can aid children as they learn and play. This awareness month aims to educate parents, caretakers, and healthcare workers about how they can detect children’s vision issues and find solutions earlier. One of the best ways to do this is to take children to regular vision screenings. Learn other ways to maintain a child’s healthy vision by accessing Prevent Blindness’ free resources, including fact sheets, social media lives, presentations, and more. 

National Breastfeeding Month 

Pediatric experts recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. However, several factors might hinder that. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee wants to empower families by strengthening breastfeeding support systems, including supporting nursing parents who work and connecting parents with resources, like physical education and training or donor milk banks. This awareness month kicks off with World Breastfeeding Week, held August 1 – 7. 

National Immunization Awareness Month 

Vaccines can help prevent diseases from spreading or causing more significant harm. There are a few ways you can participate in National Immunization Awareness Month, like making sure you’re up-to-date on your vaccines and participating in these five ways to protect public health provided by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. 

National Minority Donor Awareness Month 

According to Donate Life America, organ, eye, and tissue donations closer to the recipient’s genetic background have a greater chance of surviving longer. Of the more than 100,000 people waiting for an organ transplant, approximately 60% of them are from multicultural communities. If you have a multicultural background and want to help, just register online to become a donor. 

Psoriasis Action Month 

Psoriasis is a noncontagious disease that speeds up skin cell turnover and leads to a build-up of cells that can be itchy and uncomfortable. Psoriasis affects more than 3% of U.S. adults, and while that percentage might seem small, that represents more than 7.5 million people. Though there’s not a cure for psoriasis, there are treatments that can improve symptoms and lower the chance of developing other health conditions. Still, since it’s a visible disease, it can lead some patients to experience anxiety and depression. Do your part during Psoriasis Action Month by connecting people living with the condition to the right resources. 

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month 

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a gene mutation, and it occurs in about 1 in 11,000 births. People living with SMA may have difficulty performing everyday tasks involving the muscles, like breathing, eating, and walking. You can participate in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month by helping fund research and support initiatives, sharing SMA facts on social media, and lighting a candle to remember those who have died due to the disease. 

Week-long Observances

National Health Center Week – August 7 – 13, 2022 

In the early days of the pandemic, community health centers had to pivot how they provided primary and preventative care to patients. Most of us saw this in action – from having enhanced screenings when visiting a doctor to virtual appointments. During National Health Center Week, you can recognize the centers and staff who ensured you kept having access to essential healthcare resources during a global emergency.  An easy way to recognize their efforts is by leaving them a good review on business and social media websites so that other potential patients know they can trust them, too. 

Health Unit Coordinator Week – August 23 – 29, 2022 

It’s time to thank the secretaries, clerks, and information coordinators who help with the non-clinical functions of a hospital unit. Their duties might include processing admissions, discharges, or transfers, managing orders, customer service, and more. If you see a health unit coordinator on your floor, thank them for helping facility operations run more smoothly.