AAFP Launches PSA Campaign to Educate Patients – May is Mental Health
AAFP
Bullying. Concussions. Opioid abuse. These are just a few topics family physicians discuss with their patients every day. While most family physicians feel comfortable talking about these subjects, patients may be less at ease, especially if they have experienced one of these issues first-hand. To help patients prepare for these conversations, the AAFP has launched a national public service announcement (PSA) campaign. An important aspect of the campaign is to educate patients about pertinent public health issues, and to encourage them to visit familydoctor.org the Academy’s patient-focused website, for more information.
The AAFP will release a new PSA on the first of the month from May through November. May is mental and emotional health (e.g. bullying).
View the PSA here. For more information on emotional health visit:
Familydoctor.org: Mental Health
Familydoctor.org: Mental Health: Keeping Your Emotional Health
Other monthly topics will be:
- July: back to school (e.g., influenza and personal hygiene),
- August: immunizations (e.g., shingles vaccine),
- September: sports and exercise (e.g., concussions),
- October: family health and safety (e.g., gun safety), and
- November: addiction and recovery (e.g., opioid abuse and safe medication storage).
KAFP will share and post the PSAs on social media. We encourage you to share these PSA’s on social media, and to follow familydoctor.org on Facebook and Twitter. Ultimately, it is important that patients, after viewing the PSAs, will gain a sense of empowerment over their own health. Increasing patients’ knowledge of important health issues that affect them is intended to help them feel more prepared and willing to talk about them with YOU – their family physician.