2023 health observances: A complete list for your outreach efforts
January 27, 2023Categories: health plans, health systems, healthcare organizations, associations
Editor's Note: This blog was published prior to the transition to WebMD Ignite.
Most notably, health observances offer a great way to engage patients or members when a certain health condition may be more top of mind – whether through a marketing campaign to acquire new patients or through clinical patient education to improve outcomes.
Wherever your patients or members are in their care journey, WebMD Provider Services and Krames can help you build deeper, enduring relationships with them. Specifically, our Krames patient education and KramesStore.com print education promote positive patient experiences and outcomes as they engage with trusted education and your organization. Additionally, our marketing solutions can help you jumpstart your content marketing campaigns.
To help you plan your 2023 outreach initiatives, here’s a list of known health observances with links for more information.
January 2023
National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Month
Cervical Health Awareness Month
Days to Note:
World Braille Day Jan. 4
National Pharmacists Day Jan. 12
National IV Nurse Day Jan. 25
World Leprosy Day 2023 Jan. 29
February 2023
International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Wise Health Care Consumer Month
Weeks to Note:
National Patient Recognition Week: Feb. 1-7
Perianesthesia Nurse Week: Feb. 6-12
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week; Feb. 7-14
Phlebotomist Recognition Week: Feb. 13-17
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week; Feb. 20-26
Days to Note:
National Wear Red Day 2023 Feb. 3
Give Kids A Smile ® Day Feb. 3
World Cancer Day 2023 Feb. 4
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Feb. 7
Toothache Day 2023 Feb. 9
International Epilepsy Day Feb. 13
National Donor Day Feb 14
National Caregivers Day Feb. 19
National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day Feb. 22
Rare Disease Day 2023 Feb. 28
March 2023
Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
National Endometriosis Awareness Month
National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week March 12-18
Patient Safety Awareness Week March 12-18
National Sleep Awareness Week March 12-18
Brain Awareness Week March 13-19
National Poison Prevention Week March 19-25
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week March 20-26
Days to Note:
World Birth Defects Day March 3
Multiple Personality Day 2023 March 5
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day March 10
World Kidney Day 2023 March 9
Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered Day March 9
National Dentist Day March 6
Certified Nurses Day March 19
World Sleep Day March 17
National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day March 20
World Oral Health Day March 20
World Down Syndrome Day March 21
World Tuberculosis Day March 24
American Diabetes Alert Day March 28
Epilepsy Awareness - Purple Day March 26
National Doctors’ Day March 30
Anesthesia Tech Day Mar. 31
April 2023
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Facial Protection Month
National Interprofessional Healthcare Month
National Minority Health Month
National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Primary Immunodeficiency Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Public Health Week April 3-9
Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week April 11-17
National Infertility Awareness Week April 23-29
Every Kid Healthy Week April 24-28
National Pediatric Transplant Week 2023 TBD
World Immunization Week April 24-30
Patient Experience Week April 23-29
National Infant Immunization Week April 24-30
Health Information Professionals Week Apr. 18-24
Medical Laboratory Professionals Week Apr. 30–May 6
Days to Note:
World Autism Awareness Day April 2
World Health Day 2023 April 7
National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day April 10
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day April 29
Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day April 16
World Hemophilia Day 2023 April 17
DNA Day 2023 April 25
World Malaria Day 2023 April 25
World Day for Safety and Health at Work April 28
May 2023
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
National Stroke Awareness Month
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month
National Cancer Research Month
National Critical Care Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
North American Occupational Safety and Health Week May 7-13
Healthcare Technology Management Week May 14–20
National Hospital Week May 7-13
Air Quality Awareness Week May 1–7
National Nurses Week May 6-12
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week May 7-13
Food Allergy Awareness Week May 8-14
National Women's Health Week May 14-20
National Skilled Nursing Care Week May 14–20
Neuroscience Nurses Week May 14–20
National EMS Week May 21–27
Days to Note:
Melanoma Monday May 1
World Asthma Day May 2
World Hand Hygiene Day May 5
International No Diet Day May 6
National School Nurse Day May 6
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day May 11
National Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness May 13
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day May 8
National Student Nurses Day May 8
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day May 12
International Nurses Day May 12
World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023 May 18
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day May 18
Critical Care Wear Blue Day May 19
National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day May 19
World Autoimmune/Auto-inflammatory Arthritis Day May 20
Don't Fry Day May 26
National Senior Health & Fitness Day May 31
World No Tobacco Day May 31
June 2023
Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month
Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month
National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
National Scleroderma Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
Men's Health Week June 12-18
Helen Keller Def-Blind Awareness Week June 25-July 1
National Nursing Assistant Week June 15–21
Healthcare Risk Management Week June 19-23
Days to Note:
National Cancer Survivors Day June 4
World Brain Tumor Day June 8
World Blood Donor Day June 14
Autistic Pride Day June 18
World Sickle Cell Day June 19
World Vitiligo Day June 25
National HIV Testing Day June 27
July 2023
Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Therapeutic Recreation Week July 9–15
Days to Note:
World Hepatitis Day July 28
August 2023
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
World Breastfeeding Week Aug 1-7
National Health Center Week Aug. 6-12
Contact Lens Health Week Aug. 21-25
Days to Note:
World Lung Cancer Day Aug. 1
National Minority Donor Awareness Day Aug. 1
International Overdose Awareness Day Aug. 31
September 2023
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National ITP (Platelet Disorder) Awareness Month
National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month
Newborn Screening Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week Sept. 1-7
Vascular Nurses Week Sept. 3-9
Folic Acid Awareness Week Sept. 10-16
National Assisted Living Week Sept. 10–16
Nursing Professional Development Week Sept. 10 -16
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week Sept. 18 - 24
National Surgical Technologists Week Sept. 17–23
Neonatal Nurses Week Sept. 11-17
ASPEN Malnutrition Awareness Week Sept. 18-22
Global ITP Awareness Week Sept. 20-24
Fungal Disease Awareness Week Sept. 20-24
Days to Note:
World Sexual Health Day Sept. 4
World Physical Therapy Day Sept. 8
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day Sept. 9
World Suicide Prevention Day Sept. 10
National Celiac Disease Awareness Day Sept. 13
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day Sept. 18
World Pharmacist Day Sept. 25
Get Ready for Flu Day Sept. 21
World Alzheimer’s Day Sept. 21
Falls Prevention Awareness Day Sept. 22
Sport Purple for Platelets Day Sept. 29
World Rabies Day Sept. 28
National Women's Health & Fitness Day Sept. 27
World Heart Day Sept. 29
October 2023
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Liver Awareness Month
National Chiropractic Health Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Physical Therapy Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
Mental Illness Awareness Week Oct. 1-7
National Primary Care Week Oct. 1-7
Healthcare Supply Chain Week Oct. 1–7
National PA Week Oct. 6 - 12
Bone and Joint Health Action Week Oct. 12-20
International Infection Prevention Week Oct. 15-21
National Pharmacy Week Oct. 16–22
National Healthcare Quality Week Oct. 15-21
National Healthcare Facilities & Engineering Week Oct. 22–28
National Health Education Week Oct. 16-20
Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23 - 31
Respiratory Care Week Oct. 22-28
Days to Note:
Child Health Day Oct. 2
World Meningitis Day Oct. 5
World Mental Health Day Oct. 10
National Depression Screening Day Oct. 5
International Day of the Girl Oct. 11
Emergency Nurses Day Oct. 11
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day Oct. 13
Global Handwashing Day Oct. 15
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day Oct. 15
National Pharmacy Technician Day Oct. 17
World Food Day Oct. 16
National Mammography Day Oct. 20
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day Oct. 19
National Medical Assistants Day Oct. 18
World Osteoporosis Day Oct. 20
National Check Your Meds Day Oct. 21
International Stuttering Awareness Day Oct. 22
World Occupational Therapy Day Oct. 27
World Psoriasis Day Oct. 29
World Stroke Day Oct. 29
November 2023
Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month
National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
National Adoption Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Home Care & Hospice Month
National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Diabetes Education Week Nov. 1 - 7
National Allied Health Week Nov. 5–11
National Radiologic Technology Week Nov. 5–11
Nurse Practitioner Week Nov. 12–18
Perioperative Nurse Week Nov. 12–18
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Awareness Week Nov. 20 - 26
Days to Note:
World Radiography Day Nov. 8
National Diabetes Heart Connection Day Nov. 9
World Pneumonia Day Nov. 12
World Diabetes Day Nov. 14
Operating Room Nurse Day Nov. 14
World Prematurity Day 2023 Nov. 17
Great American Smokeout Nov. 16
National Family Health History Day Nov. 23
National Rural Health Day Nov. 16
December 2023
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Weeks to Note:
National Handwashing Awareness Week Dec. 4-10
National Influenza Vaccination Week Dec. 6-12
Days to Note:
World AIDS Day Dec. 1
International Day of People with Disability Dec. 3
