It’s official - springtime is finally here! Hopefully this month provides you with a plethora of active options so you can run, walk or push your way into this new spring season. With that in mind, please take precautions when preparing for a road race, triathlon, or other activity that requires great exertion. Make it your objective to be active while staying healthy and injury free. Perhaps you took it easy throughout the winter. If so, you may not be in the best cardiovascular shape to go out and run or push a marathon in your first spring workout. Making realistic, daily goals and sticking with them is the way to go. Remember, any movement or activity is better than none.

Conferences and Expos

We had a great time at ACSM’s 17th Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the NCHPAD booth to learn about our organization and resources on physical activity and disability. The week was filled with networking during the expo hours and killer morning and evening workouts!  We even rounded off the conference with a Gatorade sponsored 5k in the desert of Sunset Park.  Kudos to ACSM for creating a well-rounded active conference!  Fitness professionals, mark your calendars now for the 2014 Summit April 2-5, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Next up we are headed to Indianapolis, Indiana for the ACSM 60th Annual Meeting and 4th World Congress on Exercise is Medicine. If you are planning to attend May 28-June 1, 2013 make sure to stop by NCHPAD at booth 205.

Monthly Observances

• National Public Health Week, April 1 – 7, 2013- The American Public Health Association sponsors National Public Health Week. This year’s theme is Public Health is ROI (return on investment) Save Lives, Save Money.  Visit www.nphw.org for information on events and activities. 

• World Health Day, April 7th, 2013- The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure. Make sure you “know your numbers” and get your blood pressure checked regularly. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Make sure to exercise and decrease your sodium intake to achieve a healthy blood pressure reading. 

• Autism Awareness Month- CDC estimates 1 in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is spearheading efforts to rebrand April into “Autism Acceptance Month” vs. “Autism Awareness Month.” Check out their website on the new “rebrand” and events in cities across the country that are geared toward inclusion, understanding and supporting those with autism. 

• National Minority Health Month- This April, the Office of Minority Health and partners mark National Minority Health Month by raising awareness about health disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minorities, and the health care law’s groundbreaking policies to reduce these disparities and achieve health equity. The theme for 2013 is, Advance Health Equity Now: Uniting Our Communities to Bring Health Care Coverage to All. 

• Occupational Therapy Month- The American Occupational Therapy Association marks April as Occupational Therapy month.  Occupational Therapy is a vitally important profession that helps people across the lifespan participate in activities of daily living through therapeutic use of everyday activities.  Ways to participate:
  • Top 10 Ways to Promote Occupational Therapy Online

New Research Study: Seeking participants

Allysa Seely, a graduate student at Arizona State University under the supervision of Assistant Professor, Cheryl Der Ananian, is conducting a research study looking at physical activity among individuals with a physical disability or a physical impairment. If you are at least eighteen years of age and have a physical disability or impairment please take a moment to learn more about her research study and fill out an anonymous online survey for her research efforts. The survey will take about 30 minutes of your time to fill out. You can access her study via the following link:

https://asuhealthpromotion.us.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5d2KnarLKn0ILQ1

Participation in this study is completely voluntary. You can also learn more about the study by contacting the research team directly by email at aseely@asu.edu.

Upcoming Events

• Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity
  • April 29-30, 2013
  • Honolulu, Hawaii
  • The theme for 2013 is “Being in Community” which embraces the ideals of all people living together harmoniously and happily in a barrier-free world without fear of exclusion from social, economic or political life.
  • http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/

• 42nd Annual Midwest Symposium on Therapeutic Recreation & Adapted Physical Activity
  • April 15-17, 2013
  • St. Louis, Missouri
  • http://muconf.missouri.edu/midwest_symposium/

• AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition
  • April 23-27, 2013
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Make plans today to attend the 2013 AAHPERD National Convention & Exposition, April 23-27 in Charlotte, NC. Choose from more than 400 sessions featuring world-renowned speakers, honorees, athletes, and researchers. Register today!
  • http://www.aahperd.org/convention

• Health Disparities Research at the Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, and Disability: A National Conference
  • April 25-26, 2013
  • Washington, DC
  • The conference is intended to bring together researchers, advocates, and policy makers in racial and ethnic disparities and disability-related disparities to:
    • Learn about barriers to health care and health promotion for people with disabilities in underserved racial and ethnic groups
    • Share your own work on health disparities at this intersection
    • Discuss priorities for future research and action

Upcoming Webinar

• Extracurricular Athletic Opportunities for Students with Disabilities:  Understanding the Issues
  • Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 2:00 ET
  • http://www.ada-audio.org/ProgramInformation/
  • This special session is being offered in collaboration with the Inclusive Fitness Coalition in response to the recent guidance provided by the Office for Civil Rights clarifying public elementary and secondary schools obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide extracurricular athletic opportunities for students with disabilities. This session will discuss key points that are addressed in this new resource. The session will provide attendees with practical advice on how schools can better integrate students with disabilities into mainstream athletic programs and as well as how to create adapted programs. The goal of this session is to raise awareness of the obligation to provide opportunities in athletics and to encourage change at the school level.