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.

Heart Health

ODPHP Director's Blog Graphic

Heart disease has the potential to affect all people. The persistent myth that it is primarily a “men’s disease” simply isn’t true. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Yet only about half of women recognize this. Heart disease accounts for about 1 in 5 deaths among women every year as compared to 1 in 4 deaths in men. About 1 in 16 women age 20 years and older have coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease.

Establishing Equitable Resilience Requires Shared Stewardship

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

Health and Well-Being Matter is the monthly blog of the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. This month, RDML Paul Reed welcomes Victoria Brown, Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and her perspectives on HUD’s approach to building robust communities in the context of the recently released Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience. HUD’s investment in local entities and its intentional focus on promotion of what the Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being framework calls “civic muscle” is akin to a melding of needs, interests, resources, and tools, despite presumed agency: what's come to be known as “shared stewardship”.

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.