UB to celebrate National Public Health Week

The School of Public Health and Health Professions (SPHHP) will recognize National Public Health Week (NPHW) April 1-7 with a series of events — all free and open to the public — that highlight and recognize public health issues important to improving our nation.

The featured event for NPHW is the fourth annual Step Challenge, running April 1-30. For the past three years, the challenge has rallied together thousands of participants who have taken more than 851 million steps. This year, the school is setting its sights on encouraging participants to take steps for a healthier lifestyle and help reach the collective goal of 375 million steps.  

Another main event is a naloxone (NARCAN) training session on April 2 being held in collaboration with the Erie County Department of Health and UB’s Office of Interprofessional Education. NARCAN is administered to people who have overdosed on opioids, either from overuse of prescription drugs or recreational use. The training will show participants how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose, as well as how to properly administer the live-saving NARCAN.

Additional UB NPHW events on UB’s South Campus and online include:

• Yoga classes, April 1, 403 Hayes Hall. Denise Lanzillotta, a student in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, will teach a Hatha yoga class from noon to 12:45 p.m. Alumna Elise Pogorzelski will lead a Vinyasa yoga class from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Both are certified yoga instructors. Register online.
• Stressbusters’ back rubs and stress-relief tips, noon to 1 p.m. April 2, Harriman Hall. Student volunteers will provide free five-minute back rubs and wellness information.
• Twitter Chat discussing all things public health, 2-3 p.m. April 3. @NPHW on Twitter, the #NPHWchat will take place from and will celebrate everything public health has accomplished and talk about where the movement is going. RSVP online.
• “Adventures in Policy Making: NY’s Regulation of Adults’ Use of Cannabis,” 10-11 a.m. April 4, 202 Diefendorf Hall. The talk will be presented by Lorraine Collins, associate dean for research and professor of community health and health behavior.
• “Race, Mass Incarceration and Public Health,” 5:30-8 p.m. April 4, 150 Farber Hall. A screening of “13th,” an acclaimed documentary on the criminal system, followed by a panel discussion on how the issue connects to public health and well-being.
• “Vaccinations and Why They Are Vital,” noon to 1 p.m.  April 4. This online webinar will be presented by UB alumna Jackie Andula, medical care administrator at the Erie County Department of Health. RSVP for the webinar online.
• Mini fitness evaluations by exercise science students, including blood pressure screenings, hand-grip strength and vertical jump, 10 a.m. to noon April 5, Kimball Tower lobby.
• Global Health Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 5, 144 Farber Hall. The event includes a symposium, “Substance Use and Its Impact on Local and Global Health,” and a panel discussion, “Think Locally. Act Globally.”

To learn more about UB SPHHP’s NPHW celebration, visit the event’s website.

To register and learn more about the 2019 Step Challenge, visit the challenge’s website.