Throughout the year, there are many health observances that raise awareness for a variety of conditions (both big and small) and also remind the worlds citizens to be proactive and stay on top of their health.
See below for our list of 2021 Health Observances:
January 2021
Thyroid Awareness Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Month
Cervical Health Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
Folic Acid Awareness Week; January 6 – 12th
Days to Note:
World Leprosy Day 2021; January 31st
February 2021
American Heart Month
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) / Low Vision Awareness Month
International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Weeks to Note:
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week; February 7 – 14th
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week; February 22 – 26th
Days to Note:
World Cancer Day 2021; February 4th
National Wear Red Day 2021; February 5th
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; February 7th
Toothache Day 2021; February 9th
National Donor Day; February 14th
National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day; February 22nd
Rare Disease Day 2021; February 28th
March 2021
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 Kidney Month
National Nutrition Month
National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
Save Your Vision Month
Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week; March 8 – 14th
Patient Safety Awareness Week; March 14 – 20th
National Sleep Awareness Week; March 14 – 20th
National Poison Prevention Week; March 14 – 20th
Brain Awareness Week; March 15 – 21st
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week; March 22 – 28th
Days to Note:
World Birth Defects Day; March 3rd
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; March 10th
World Kidney Day 2021; March 11th
National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; March 20th
World Oral Health Day; March 20th
World Down Syndrome Day; March 21st
World Tuberculosis Day; March 24th
American Diabetes Alert Day; March 26th
Epilepsy Awareness – Purple Day; March 26th
National Doctors’ Day; March 30th
April 2021
Alcohol Awareness Month
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Cancer Control Month
National Donate Life Month
National Minority Health Month
National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
Occupational Therapy Month
Oral Cancer Awareness Month
Parkinson’s Awareness Month
Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month
STI Awareness Month
Stress Awareness Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Public Health Week – Healthiest Nation 2030: April 1 – 7th
Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week; April 11 – 16th
National Infertility Awareness Week; April 21 – 27th
National Pediatric Transplant Week; April 18 – 24th
Every Kid Healthy Week; April 19 – 23rd
World Immunization Week; April 22 – 28th
Patient Experience Week; April 26 – 30th
National Infant Immunization Week; April 26 – May 2nd
Days to Note:
World Autism Awareness Day; April 2nd
World Health Day 2021; April 7th
National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day; April 10th
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day; April 15th
Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day; April 16th
World Hemophilia Day 2021; April 17th
World Meningitis Day; April 24th
DNA Day 2021; April 25th
World Malaria Day 2021; April 25th
World Day for Safety and Health at Work; April 28th
May 2021
Arthritis Awareness Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Mental Health Month
National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
National Nurses Month
National Osteoporosis Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
National Stroke Awareness Month
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
Older Americans Month
Preeclampsia Awareness Month
Skin Cancer Prevention Month
Weeks to Note:
North American Occupational Safety and Health Week; May 2-8th
National Hospital Week; May 2 – 8th
Air Quality Awareness Week; May 3 – 7th
National Nurses Week; May 6 – 12th
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week; May 3 – 9
Food Allergy Awareness Week; May 10-16th
National Women’s Health Week; May 10 – 16th
Days to Note:
World Asthma Day; May 4th
World Hand Hygiene Day; May 5th
International No Diet Day; May 6th
National School Nurse Day; May 6th
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day; May 7th
National Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness; May 8th
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day; May 8th
National Student Nurses Day; May 8th
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day; May 12th
International Nurses Day; May 12th
World AIDS Vaccine Day 2021; May 18th
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day; May 18th
National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; May 19th
World Autoimmune/Auto-inflammatory Arthritis Day; May 20th
Don’t Fry Day; May 21st
National Senior Health & Fitness Day; May 27th
World No Tobacco Day; May 31st
June 2021
Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month
Cataract Awareness Month
Men’s Health Month
Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month
National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
National Scleroderma Awareness Month
PTSD Awareness Month
Scoliosis Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
Men’s Health Week; June 14 – 20th
Helen Keller Def-Blind Awareness Week; June 21 – 27th
Days to Note:
National Cancer Survivors Day; June 6th
World Brain Tumor Day; June 8th
World Blood Donor Day; June 14th
Autistic Pride Day; June 18th
World Sickle Cell Day; June 19th
World Vitiligo Day; June 25th
National HIV Testing Day; June 27th
July 2021
Cord Blood Awareness Month
Group B Strep Awareness Month
Healthy Vision Month
Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month
Sarcoma Awareness Month
UV Safety Month
Days to Note:
World Hepatitis Day; July 28th
August 2021
Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month
Gastroparesis Awareness Month
National Breastfeeding Month
National Immunization Awareness Month
Psoriasis Action Month
Summer Sun Safety Month
Weeks to Note:
World Breastfeeding Week; August 1 – 7th
National Health Center Week; August 9 – 15th
Contact Lens Health Week; August 19 – 23rd
Days to Note:
World Lung Cancer Day; August 1st
International Overdose Awareness Day; August 31st
September 2021
Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Healthy Aging ® 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
National Recovery Month
National Sickle Cell Month
National Yoga Awareness Month
Newborn Screening Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Pain Awareness Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sepsis Awareness Month
Sexual Health Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
World Alzheimer’s Month
Weeks to Note:
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week; September 13 – 17th
Global ITP Awareness Week; September 20-24th
Falls Prevention Awareness Week; September 20-24th
Fungal Disease Awareness Week; September 20-24th
Days to Note:
World Sexual Health Day; September 4th
World Suicide Prevention Day; September 10th
National Celiac Disease Awareness Day; September 13th
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day; September 18th
Get Ready for Flu Day; September 21st
World Alzheimer’s Day; September 21st
World Lung Day; September 25th
World Rabies Day; September 28th
National Women’s Health and Fitness Day; September 29th
World Heart Day; September 29th
October 2021
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
Health Literacy Month
Home Eye Safety Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene 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; October 3 – 9th
National Primary Care Week; October 4 – 8th
ASPEN Malnutrition Awareness Week; October 4 – 8th
National PA Week; October 6 – 12th
Bone and Joint Health Action Week; October 12 – 20st
International Infection Prevention Week; October 17 – 23rd
National Healthcare Quality Week; October 17 – 23rd
National Health Education Week; October 18 – 22nd
Red Ribbon Week; October 23 – 31st
Respiratory Care Week; October 24 – 30th
Days to Note:
Child Health Day; October 4th
World Mental Health Day; October 10th
National Depression Screening Day; October 7th
International Day of the Girl; October 11th
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day; October 13th
Global Handwashing Day; October 15th
World Food Day; October 16th
National Mammography Day; October 18th
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day; October 19th
World Osteoporosis Day; October 20th
National Check Your Meds Day; October 21st
International Stuttering Awareness Day; October 22nd
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day; October 24th
World Psoriasis Day; October 29th
November 2021
American Diabetes Month
Bladder Health Month
COPD Awareness Month
Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Healthy Skin Month
National Home Care & Hospice Month
National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
Weeks to Note:
National Diabetes Education Week; November 1 – 7th
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Awareness Week; November 23 – 29th
Days to Note:
National Diabetes Heart Connection Day; November 9th
World Pneumonia Day; November 12th
World Diabetes Day; November 14th
World Prematurity Day 2021; November 17th
National Family Health History Day; November 25th
December 2021
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Weeks to Note:
National Handwashing Awareness Week; December 1-7th
National Influenza Vaccination Week; December 6-12th
Days to Note:
World AIDS Day; December 1st
International Day of People with Disability; December 3rd