Associating a “color” with a month has proven to be a good marketing tool for disseminating information about important health issues. The Pink October (against breast cancer) and Blue November (against prostate cancer) campaigns are among the most successful, and have inspired many others.
There are months with up to four different colors, according to their theme. These are the best known in Brazil:
1. White January
Theme: Mental health
Depression affects 322 million people worldwide and 11.5 million Brazilians, according to WHO. Anxiety disorders affect 264 million (18.6 million in Brazil).
2. Purple February
Theme: Alzheimer’s
Affects memory and language. It is estimated that, worldwide, 35.6 million people have the disease and, in Brazil, 1.2 million.
orange february
Alert for cases of leukemia, in which there is an accumulation of malignant cells in the bone marrow – the organ responsible for producing blood cells. According to the José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute (Inca), the estimate of new cases for 2018 is 10,800.
3. March lilac
Theme: cervical cancer
It is the fourth cause of death of women from cancer in Brazil. For this year, around 16 thousand cases were estimated.
navy blue march
It resembles colorectal cancer, which affects the large intestine and rectum.
4. Blue April
Theme: Autism
The disorder affects about 1% of the world’s population. It is up to four times more frequent in males.
green april
It is dedicated to raising awareness about the prevention of accidents in work environments. We are the fourth country on the list of nations with the highest rates of occupational accidents – since 2012, 4.4 million cases have been registered.
5. Purple May
Theme: Inflammatory bowel diseases
They reach about 5 million people worldwide and can cause colorectal cancer.
yellow may
Stimulates the debate on traffic accidents, which killed, in the first six months of 2018 alone, more than 19,000 deaths and 20,000 cases of permanent disability in the country, according to the Center for Research and Economics of Insurance (CPES), an organ of the School National Insurance.
6. Red June
Theme: Encouraging blood donation
According to analyses, in winter, blood banks suffer a 30% reduction in stocks.
7. Yellow July
Theme: viral hepatitis
The two most serious types, B and C, affect 1.7 million and 756 thousand Brazilians, respectively.
8. Orange August
Theme: Multiple sclerosis
It is estimated that 35,000 Brazilians suffer from this disease, in which the body’s defense cells attack the nervous system, causing fatigue, blurred vision, loss of balance and other problems.
golden august
The first seven days of the month are marked by World Breastfeeding Week, which seeks to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding. The moments when the mother breastfeeds the baby are considered “golden hours” – hence the name.
9. Yellow September
Theme: Combating suicide
Considered by the WHO a serious public health problem. Worldwide, there are more than 800,000 suicides every year.
10. September green
Encourages organ donation. In 2016, 2,983 donors were registered in the country, an increase of 5% compared to 2015.
red september
On the 29th, World Heart Day is celebrated. Therefore, the month also draws attention to cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death worldwide.
11. Pink October
Theme: Breast cancer
The second most frequent type among women throughout Brazil (except in the North region). In 2018 alone, around 59,000 new cases were estimated.
12. Blue November
Theme: Prostate cancer
It is the second most common type of cancer among men in Brazil. By the end of this year, more than 68,000 episodes are expected to be detected.
13. Red December
Theme: HIV
Data from 2017 indicate that 882,810 Brazilians are living with the AIDS virus and around 40,000 new cases are registered per year. These indices are rising.
orange december
Created by the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, this campaign sheds light on the prevention of skin cancer, the most common cancer in the country.
Sources: WHO, UN, Unaids, Inca, Instituto Lado a Lado pela Vida, Department of Surveillance, Prevention and Control of STIs, HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, Brazilian Association of Psychiatry, Brazilian Association of Alzheimer, Brazilian Association of Multiple Sclerosis, DSM- V, Portal Brasil, Coloproctology Portal, G1, Correio Braziliense, EBC and CLAUDIA.