August is National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. This observance provides the opportunity to remind the community of the importance of immunization. Make sure that your family and friends are up-to-date on their immunizations.


In August, parents are enrolling children in school, older students are entering college and adults and the health care community are preparing for the upcoming flu season. This makes August a particularly good time to focus community attention on the value of immunization. 


Vaccines are responsible for the control of many infectious diseases that were once common in this country. Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that once routinely killed or harmed tens of thousands of infants, children and adults.The viruses and bacteria that cause vaccine-preventable diseases and death still exist and can infect people who are not protected by vaccines.


Source: National Partnership for Immunization (www.partnersforimmunization.org)


A 2006 Study by Chapman & Coups found that worry and regret were stronger predictors for receiving vaccinations than perceived risk in preventative health decisions. Psychologists can help work through emotions that may be preventing you from making the best health decisions!

For more information about immunizations, please visit the CDC's Immunization Information Page

August 9-15th is National Health Center Week

Did You Know? August 9-15^th is National Health Center Week. This week is dedicated to recognizing the service and contributions of Community, Migrant, Homeless and Public Housing Health Centers in providing access to affordable, high quality, cost-effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people in the U.S.

This year's commemoration is especially important as the National Association of Community Health Center sets its sights on the goals of our ACCESS for All America plan to serve 30 million people by 2015. Community, Migrant, and Homeless Health Centers are partnerships of people, governments, and communities working to meet health needs. They constitute a vital safety net in the nation’s health delivery system that is meeting escalating health needs, reducing health disparities, and bringing doctors and health services into medically underserved areas. Today, this growing nationwide network of over 1,200 health centers serves more than 18 million people at 7,000 urban and rural communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information, please visit the National Health Center Week website at http://www.healthcenterweek.org/. For the list of Ohio observances, please visit this direct link.