odphp.health.gov Blog

ODPHP plays a crucial role in keeping the nation healthy. Stay up to date on our work by checking out our blog posts, news and announcements, and upcoming events.

Austin Public Health Launches Social and Digital Ad Campaign

Move Your Way

Move Your Way® is the promotional campaign for the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This blog post highlights the efforts of Austin Public Health (APH), a local health department that used Move Your Way to launch a social media and digital ad campaign to highlight physical activity resources in its community.

Firearm Safety and Public Health

Health and Well-Being Matter. ODPHP Director RDML Paul Reed, MD.

Firearm-related injuries and deaths in the United States are a public health crisis. HHS remains committed to reducing the number of firearm-related injuries and deaths. As with other public health challenges, that means openly acknowledging the scope of the problem, updating the public on what we’re doing to reduce firearm-related injuries and deaths, and providing the most up-to-date available guidance to help the broader public navigate the crisis.   

Akron-Summit County Public Library and Healthy People: Prioritizing Educational Opportunities for Community Members

The post describes how Akron-Summit County Public Library, a Healthy People 2030 Champion, contributed to progress toward Healthy People 2020 objectives — as well as Healthy People 2030 objectives under the social determinants of health domain Education Access and Quality.

Why Americans Should ‘Take a Hike’

Jennifer Pharr Davis

No matter who you are or where you live, there’s a hike within reach and a world of benefits to tap into. Many of us think hiking has to take place in the mountains by a beautiful lake or in a gorgeous meadow filled with wildflowers. And many people picture a bearded mountain man in a flannel shirt who’s carrying an enormous pack — with a tin cup and some climbing rope dangling off the back. You certainly can hike in the mountains, and you can be a bearded “mountain man” sporting a flannel shirt. But that’s a very narrow description of hiking. Really, a hike is just a long walk, and it can happen anywhere — from mountain trails to paths through your own neighborhood. We’re all hiking a lot more than we think. And we can do it in a lot more places than we think.