Medical Foundation of Nashville

Menu
Facebook Twitter
Give Online
Facebook Twitter
Menu
Give Online
Give Online

Public Health Education

The Medical Foundation of Nashville equips physicians, patients, and community members with knowledge and tools to address pressing public health challenges, fostering informed decision-making and collaboration. By focusing on education, outreach, and community-engaged solutions, we strive to advance public health throughout Middle Tennessee.

FEATURED CONTENT THIS QUARTER

Welcome to our quarterly featured content. Each quarter, this hub highlights key public health observances aimed at raising public awareness on key health issues. Under each tab you will find information and resources about health observances happening this month.

March is Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month. Bleeding disorders, such as Hemophilia A and B, and von Willebrand Disease (VWD), are conditions where a person’s blood cannot clot properly. Typically, proteins called clotting factors help to form clots at the site of an injury. However, people with bleeding disorders lack the ability for these proteins to clot naturally and often suffer from uncontrollable bleeding after an injury, trauma, or surgery, get frequent nosebleeds, bruise easily, and can even suffer from spontaneous bleeding. These disorders can be either inherited or acquired over time and roughly about 3 million people are affected. – National Hemophilia Foundation

National Bleeding Disorders Foundation

NBDF Webinar Series

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the 4th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and the 2nd leading cause of cancer death. Yet this cancer can be prevented with screening and is highly treatable when detected early. Each year, approximately 150,000 American’s are diagnosed and 50,000 will die from CRC. Currently, average age of diagnosis is 66 and about 1 in 24 people will be diagnosed in their lifetime. The recommended age for screening has recently dropped from 50 years to 45 years of age due to an increase in the diagnoses of younger individuals. Younger adults have seen an increase in colorectal cancer, and it’s currently the deadliest cancer among young men and the second deadliest among young women. For more information, please follow the links here. – Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

American College of Gastroenterology Community Health Toolkits

Colorectal Cancer Alliance Screening Quiz

DocTalk Podcast
"CRC Screening Awareness (What to Know)

UCLA Health CRC Video Library

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Endometriosis affects approximately 10% (190 million) of reproductive age women and girls globally. It is designated as a chronic disease of the endometrium and can cause a multitude of health complications, including life-impacting pain during periods, pain during sexual intercourse, issues with bowel movements and/or urination, chronic pelvic pain, abdominal bloating, nausea, and fatigue. Endometriosis can also sometimes intensify symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as increase the risk of infertility and cancer. If you want to learn more about endometriosis, please click the links below.

FDA Information on Endometriosis

HHS Office on Women's Health Endometriosis Information

BackTable Endometriosis Podcast

Epworth Healthcare Endometriosis Awareness Information

April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month. Irritable Bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal (GI) condition that causes recurring attacks of abdominal pain or discomfort in association with bowel habits. This condition affects 10-15% of individuals worldwide and it affects all ages of both children and adults. However, 2 in 3 IBS sufferers are female. People with IBS tend to restrict their daily activities an average of 70+ days per year making IBS one of the most burdensome chronic ailments reported by patients. With GI-related issues on the rise, follow these links to learn more about IBS and how to prevent or alleviate symptoms.

International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders

The Gastroenterologist and His Daughter Podcast Episode What's New with IBS

IBS Awareness Month Media Toolkit

GastroGirl Podcast Episode Featuring Dr. Brian E. Lacy, Board Certified Gastroenterologist

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Oral Cancer awareness amongst the American public is low. Approximately 58,500 people in the U.S. and approximately 450,000 people around the world will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer this year. On average, one person dies every hour from oral cancer complications, which is almost 10,000 people a year. Men are twice as likely to be affected by oral cancer, so knowing your risk factors is important. The use of alcohol and tobacco, prolonged exposure to UV rays from the sun or tanning beds, and the sexually transmitted HPV16 virus can all increase a person’s risk of developing oral cancers. Knowing the signs and symptoms such as:

  • A sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal.
  • A lump or thickening on the lips or gums or in the mouth.
  • A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsils or lining of the mouth.
  • Bleeding, pain or numbness in the lip or mouth.
  • Change in voice or Swelling of the jaw.
  • Sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat.

Looking for these symptoms can help with early detection to prevent or limit oral cancer risks.

American Dental Hygienists Association Information and Events

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. Every year, nearly 90,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). PD is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately the dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra. Symptoms can include tremors at rest, slowness of movement, limb stiffness, loss of smell, postural balance problems and trouble with one’s normal gait. There are also additional non-motor related symptoms that affect people’s mood, emotional regulation, sleep patterns and cognition. The cause of PD is still unknown, and scientists have yet find a cure, however they are working to improve treatment options through lifestyle changes and surgery. While not considered a fatal disease, Parkinson’s can become very serious depending on the patient, so click here to learn more.

Parkinson's Foundation

The Peterson Foundation for Parkinson's

Parkinson's Foundation Podcast
"Substantial Matters"

The Michael J. Fox Foundation
Parkinson's Podcast

March

April

  • Alcohol Awareness Month
  • National Autism Acceptance Month & Day (April 2nd)
  •  National Stress Awareness Month
    • National Institute of Health Stress Awareness Info
    • Working for a Healthier Tennessee Info
    • National Alliance of Mental Illness Video
    • 9 Tips to Reducing Stress Article
    • How to Manage & Better Understand Stress – Dr. Elissa Epel & Dr. Andrew Huberman – Podcast
    • 5 Tools to Protect Your Brain from Stress & Feel Calmer with Aditi Nerurkar, MD – Podcast
  • Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
  • Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month
    • American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts & Figures 2025 Report
    • CDC National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
    • Rural Health Association of Tennessee Resources
    • Prevent Cancer Foundation Resources
    • Cancer Research Institute Information
    • NIH National Cancer Institute: Division of Cancer Prevention Resource
    • World Health Organization Preventing Cancer Information
  • National Public Health Week April 7-13

Public Health Resources

Tennessee Department of Health

Metro Nashville Public Health Department

Sycamore Institute

My Healthcare Home

MULTI-MEDIA PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES

Featured Podcast Feeds

Humans in Public Health
Brown University Podcast

George Washington University Health Education Podcast

KFF Health News
Podcast

TED Health
Podcast

Public Health On Call Johns Hopkins SPH Podcast

CDC Emerging Infectious Disease Podcast

GRANT FUNDERS

We are exceedingly grateful for the generous participation of the organizations that provide ongoing grant funding to support our work.
the-healing-trust-logo
tccn-logo-rrr_orig
HCA-Healthcare-Foundation-S-Facebook_Color-Logo-1
Scroll to Top