When most people hear the words “Public Health” they think of their local health department, hospital or maybe health inspectors.

While those organizations are a vital part, they are not all that public health is.

During the first week of April, the American Public Health Association recognizes National Public Health Week to raise awareness of what public health truly means.

Public health is anything that works to make a community healthier.

Whether it’s a neighbor building a community garden, advocates at Capitol Hill standing up for others or students speaking out on campus, anyone can take an active roll in public health.

“Everyone in a community contributes to public health. It is all of our responsibilities to ensure that the community we live in is as healthy as possible,” said Dwain Butler, Deputy Health Director with South Health District. “If we all work together to improve our communities locally then hopefully we can begin to improve as a nation.”

Each day of National Public Health Week the Association focuses on a particular public health topic and offers tips on how anyone can make a difference. This year’s daily topics are: Monday, Healthy Communities; Tuesday, Violence Prevention;Wednesday, Rural Health; Thursday, Technology and Public Health; Friday, Climate Change and Saturday and Sunday, Global Health.

“We all have a responsibility to the health of our community and our country. We know our needs are as varied as our communities themselves. This year's NPHW daily themes take this into account. But we are all touched by these issues — by the threat of violence, or by technology improving our health, or not. Public health's greatest strength is in the diversity of its supporters, and their expertise, both academic and lived. We are all affected by public health issues, and we are all part of the solutions to those problems,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association.