Awareness Days

It is December. The lights are up. The decorations and the displays in the shops and all around are all designed to increase our awareness of one message: Christmas is coming.

In the same way, health awareness  months, weeks and  days are geared  towards educating the general public, fund raising  and supporting  people with certain health conditions as well as their loved ones.

The awareness weeks and days for December are:

• Ø  Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week (December 1-7)
• Ø  World AIDS Day (December 1)

Evidence suggests that information requests from the public around topics of awareness increase during these awareness days and weeks. Consequently, clinicians and practitioners might be looking for medical updates and evidence in these areas.

A good place to look for information on Crohn’s and Colitis is Crohn’s & Colitis UK.  The Trip database also has a host of primary researches and systematic reviews.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and British HIV Association (BHIVA) have published guidelines on HIV testing. Public Health England has also published Reports about HIV in the UK. 

 The NICE Evidence search has not only provided NICE guidelines on these topical issues but also gives access to top quality and Impartiality publication and reviews.

Other useful information about the World AIDS day can be found on the World AIDS Day website, Terrence Higgins Trust, BASHH and Aidsmap.