Where we live impacts our communities’ health. We can make our communities healthier, stronger, and safer. The 2025 National Public Health Week theme is “It Starts Here” because public health starts with each of us making a difference in our homes and communities.
The Lake Cumberland District Health Department's mission is to promote and protect the health of all who live, work, learn, and play throughout the district. Doctors and nurse practitioners primarily treat individuals after they become sick or injured. Public health professionals work to prevent problems from happening or recurring by implementing educational programs, recommending policies, promoting healthy lifestyles, assuring a safe environment, and detecting and controlling infectious diseases.
As they celebrate the 30th National Public Health Week, April 7-13, one of the key ideas highlighted is the importance of public health initiatives as investments in the future. Funding for prevention programs, disease surveillance, vaccination campaigns, and other health services saves lives and reduces healthcare costs over time. Rather than waiting for health crises to arise, public health departments advocate for a proactive approach to health that focuses on prevention, early intervention, and education.
This year is the 30th anniversary of celebrating National Public Health Week. Over the past 30 years, significant strides have been made in public health, including reducing the number of smokers in the United States from 25.5% in 1994 to 11.4% today. The number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS in 1994 was 49,095, but today, that number has dropped significantly. Childhood mortality, which was at a rate of 13.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1994, has now fallen to 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births due to vaccines and better healthcare access and nutrition.
In the spirit of Public Health Week, it is important to note that Kentucky is one of the unhealthiest states in our nation. A few healthy lifestyle choices could change this. First, eating normally proportioned helpings of nutritious foods, including at least five fruits and vegetables a day, can lower weight and reduce heart disease and diabetes. Second, exercising about 30 minutes per day can lower blood pressure. Third, avoiding the use of tobacco products can reduce several types of cancer. Finally, getting your needed preventive screenings can detect diseases early and greatly increase your chances for positive health outcomes, while receiving your recommended vaccinations can prevent acquiring disease in the first place. Visit our website at www.LCDHD.org for more information.
