The Clark County Health Department joins the American Public Health Association in recognizing April 1 as the kick off to National Public Health Week.

This week is a time of celebration for public health professionals and advocates working to engage their communities on the importance of public health and improving the overall health of their community.  This year’s theme is “Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. For health.”

Public health is dedicated to preventing problems from happening through educational programs, policies, administering services and conducting research.  Everyone deserves to live a long and healthy life in a safe environment.

To make that possible, public health works to limit health disparities.  The causes of poor health and conditions that place individuals at a higher risk for disease within our communities must be addressed. Where we live, learn, work, worship and play affects each of us and can determine our health and life expectancy. Indeed, today an individuals ZIP code may be a stronger determinate of health than their genetic code.

Changing our health means ensuring conditions where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy. We all have a role to play. Each day of National Public Health Week, the American Public Health Association will highlight a particular public health topic.

— Monday: Building safe and healthy communities

— Tuesday: Violence Prevention

— Wednesday: Rural Health

— Thursday: Technology and Public Health

— Friday: Climate Change

— Saturday and Sunday: Global Health

Each of these areas are critical to our future success in creating the healthiest nation, and everyone can do their part to help.

To learn more about National Public Health Week, log on to www.nphw.org and follow the Clark County Health Department on Facebook.