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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.

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month. Sarcoma is a rare cancer accounting for 1% of all adult cancer and 15% – 20% of childhood cancers. There are two main types: tumors that form in bones and tumors that form in muscles, fat, nerves and other soft tissues. Approximately 17,000 people are diagnosed with sarcoma each year in the US. There are over 100 subtypes of sarcoma as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and they can arise anywhere in the body and from a variety of tissue structures. The most frequent locations are the limbs since this is where the majority of the body’s connective tissue resides.

  • 40% occur in the lower extremities (legs, ankles, feet).
  • 30% occur in the trunk (chest wall, abdomen, pelvis).
  • 15% occur in the upper extremities (shoulders, arms, wrists, hands).
  • 15% occur in the head and neck.

Because sarcoma is usually found hidden deep in the body, it is often diagnosed when it has already grown too large to expect a hope of being cured. However, it is sometimes curable by surgery (about 20% of the time), or by surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation (another 50-55%). Overall, about half the time they are totally resistant to these approaches – thus the extreme need for new therapeutic approaches. – Sarcoma Foundation of America

Sarcoma Foundation of America

American Childhood Cancer Organization

Sarcoma Alliance

Mayo Clinic Q&A on Sarcoma

July is UV Safety Month. There are different types of Ultraviolet (UV) rays, based on how much energy they have. They are all types of electromagnetic radiation, which is energy that travels in waves at the speed of light. Types of electromagnetic radiation include lower frequency microwaves and radio waves and higher frequency energy like x-rays and gamma rays. Sunlight is the main source of UV radiation and both UVA and UVB rays can damage your skin. This is because the different types of UV rays reach the ground in different amounts. About 95% of the UV rays are UVA rays, with the remaining 5% being UVB rays. UV Radiation is categorized into 3 separate groups: UVA, UVB and UVC rays. (These are grouped from lowest levels of radiation to highest, respectively.) 

  • UVA rays are mainly linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but they are also thought to play a role in some skin cancers.
  • UVB rays have slightly more energy than UVA rays, can damage the DNA in skin cells directly, and are the main rays that cause sunburns. They are also thought to cause most skin cancers.
  • UVC rays have the highest energy levels but don’t reach the ground, however they can be released by some man-made sources like tanning beds, blacklight lamps, welding tools and others.

American Academy of Dermatology Association

American Cancer Society Resources

Aging Research Organization UV Safety Video

HealthyChildren.org “Skin Protection: Keeping Kids Safe from Summer Sun"

July 28th is World Hepatitis Day. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These five types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread.

Today, nearly 47 million people are living with Hepatitis C and almost 270 million people are living with Hepatitis B around the world. Every 30 seconds, someone dies from a viral hepatitis related illness. However, with the existing prevention, testing and treatment services that are available every hepatitis related death is preventable. Hepatitis can affect anyone, but it has a disproportionate affect on the people and communities most underserved by health systems. – World Hepatitis Alliance

World Hepatitis Alliance

Center for Disease Control & Prevention

World Health Organization

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. This annual observance highlights the importance of getting recommended immunizations and vaccines throughout your life. During NIAM, we encourage you to talk to your doctor, nurse, or healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are protected against serious diseases by getting caught up on routine vaccination. – American Association of Immunologists

Statistics from the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services show that only 15.9% of Black adults and 17.3% of Hispanic adults get their routine immunization compared to 23.7% of their White counterparts. In addition, communities of color and who identify as multi-racial have persistently lower flu vaccine rates compared with White adults (49.3%). Several factors can contribute to health disparities in vaccination rates among communities of color, which include:

  • Lack of access to healthcare
  • Language barriers
  • Cultural beliefs and practices
  • Misinformation about vaccines

 

Center for Disease Control & Prevention

Immunization Awareness Month Video Library

USDA WIC Works Resource System

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases

Every August, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) sponsors National Health Center Week (Aug.2-8) to celebrate and increase awareness of America’s nearly 1,500 Community Health Centers. National Health Center Week is an opportunity to highlight the commitment and passion of CHC staff, board members, and supporters who make it possible to provide quality, comprehensive healthcare services to more than 32.5 million patients across nearly 16,000 communities annually. 

Each day of National Health Center Week is dedicated to a particular focus area:

  • Sunday, Aug. 2: Theme Kickoff Day
  • Monday, Aug. 4: Staff Appreciation Day
  • Tuesday, Aug. 5: Patient Appreciation Day
  • Wednesday, Aug. 6: Health Conditions Focus
  • Thursday, Aug. 7: Populations Day
  • Friday, Aug. 8: Partner Appreciation Day
  • Saturday, Aug. 9: Gratitude and Future Vision

National Association of Community Health Centers

National Assocation of Community Health Centers Toolkit

August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day. Globally, overdose remains a critical issue. Over the last twenty years, the overdose crisis has continued to increase. Each year a record number of deaths are reported, predominantly driven by the misuse of opioids, often in combination with other drugs including benzodiazepines, stimulants and alcohol. In 2021, an estimated 296 million people – one in every 17 people aged 15-64 – had used a drug in the past 12 months, a 23% increase from 2011. Opioids account for two-thirds (69%) of drug overdose deaths.

The estimated number of people using opioids globally has doubled from 26-36 million people in 2010 to 61.3 million in 2020. In 2023, provisional data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yielded an estimate of 105,303 drug overdose deaths in the United States, a decrease of 2% from 2022. Two-thirds of these deaths involved synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl.

International Overdose Awareness Day

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Resources

International Overdose Awareness Day: "Erasing the Stigma"

National Association of City & County Health Officials Podcast Series

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Currently, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. In 2024, there were 2.2 millions suicide attempts, an increase of 1.5x increase from 2023. In 2024, the suicide rate was 13.7 per 100,000 people. This represents a 2% decrease compared with 2023 and a 4% decrease compared with 2022. While these recent trends show decrease, the rate remains 32% higher than in 2000 (10.4 per 100,000 people). Suicide also affects males at 4x the rate of females, and is the second leading cause of death for that population between 15-34 years off age.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

For more information around suicide prevention, follow the links below.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Tennessee State Suicide Facts

National Alliance for Mental Illness Resources and Toolkit

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health Digital Shareables

September is National Recovery Month. Every September since 1989, local, state, and federal agencies and organizations have promoted evidence-based treatments and supported new recovery practices. National Recovery Month also highlights the country’s strong recovery networks and the professionals that dedicate their lives to making recovery possible.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), defines recovery as ‘a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.’ And per SAMHSA in 2024, nearly 50.2 million American adults considered themselves to be in recovery from their substance use and/or mental health problems.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. 

If you are interested in more information, follow the links below.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

The Association for Addiction Professionals ToolKit

Tennessee Medical Foundation: Forms & Resources

The State of Mental Wellbeing Podcast

September is Food Safety Education Month. Since1994, every September hundreds of state and federal agencies, food safety educators, and environmental health professionals work to provide updated tools, resources and best practices for keeping people safe from food borne illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 in 6 people in the United States (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from eating contaminated food a year. The highest risk populations are infants and young children, immunocompromised people, people who are pregnant, and older populations.

Remember these 4 steps to handle food safely:

1️. Wash
2. Separate
3. Cook
4. Chill

To learn more about proper cooking and storage techniques, food borne illness, and food safety updates, follow the links below.

US Food and Drug Administration

FoodSafety.gov

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Center for Disease Control & Prevention

July

August

  • Autoinflammatory Awareness Month
  • Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
  • Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month
    • International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
    • American Gastroenterological Nutrition Therapy Tips
    • GI Alliance Resources
    • Soundcloud BMJ Talk Medicine Podcast Episode
  • National Breastfeeding Month + Week
  • Psoriasis Action Month
  • World Lung Cancer Day (August 1st)

September

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.
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