Health Literacy

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, puts tens of millions of people at risk for largely preventable conditions — such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure — and premature death. Hypertension is one of the leading modifiable risk factors causing chronic disease and premature mortality in the United States. Yet a large percentage of Americans are unaware that they have hypertension, and only about 1 in 4 adults in the United States have it under control. Preventing and controlling hypertension for Americans will save lives, reduce inordinate costs, and improve health, well-being, and resilience. The first step toward these outcomes is acknowledging that hypertension, sometimes called the “silent killer” for often going undetected before leading to serious harm, is also a “silent pandemic” — and though it’s not a contagious threat in the traditional sense, hypertension needs to be addressed with even greater attention and urgency. The statistics clearly define the problem.

Each month, we feature select National Health Observances (NHOs) that support our mission to improve health across the United States. In March, we’re raising awareness about nutrition, colorectal cancer, and HIV/AIDS among women and girls.To make it easy for you, we’ve listed some resources below that you can use to promote these NHOs with your networks...

Clinical preventive services (CPS) play an integral role in protecting and promoting individual health and the health of communities. Such services can help people recognize health problems early, when treatment often is most effective. CPS can also help prevent certain diseases altogether. However, despite the benefits, very few people in the United States receive all recommended preventive services and many access few. As public health professionals, we have a responsibility to not just deliver the message about the critical role that CPS play in supporting good health, but also work to expand CPS access in whatever ways we can.

Each month, we feature select National Health Observances (NHOs) that support our mission to improve health across the United States. In February, we’re raising awareness about heart health, teen dating violence, and Black HIV/AIDS. We’re also celebrating the influence of women and girls in sports...