Maternal and Child Health

Maternal and Child Health	Submit Abstract
All abstracts pertaining to Maternal, Child, Adolescent, and family Health (MCH) are welcome. Abstracts in the following areas are sought: Adolescent Health: Community projects that promote wellness, healthy lifestyles, diet and physical activity; policy issues such as community mobilization and advocacy, policy environment; international policy issues; the development of healthy messages American Indian/Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians Breastfeeding: implementing national policy; programs and research Child Care:Development of systems of care and early identification of children with challenging behaviors and mental health problems; small pox immunization of preschool children Children with Special Health Care Needs: Initiatives to improve and expand the organization, financing and delivery of services and supports for children with special health care needs. Specific topics are medical home, family partnerships, health insurance, early and continuous screening and transitions from child- to adult-oriented health care Epidemiology and Data: Areas of interest include epidemiologic methods and findings; programmatic data collection, uses, and analysis; survey methods and findings; data quality and standards; and informatics. Topics on the use of quantitative and qualitative data in program evaluation are especially encouraged this year Genetics and Bioethics Graduate Education: Bringing MCH research into practice - evidence-based models on intervention for the management of women's and children's health programs and services Home Visiting and Family Support: Programs with particular interest in fatherhood involvement initiatives and successes, evaluation of programs and innovative interventions Improving Pregnancy Outcomes: home visitation programs to improve pregnancy outcomes, preconceptional and prenatal interventions to impact prematurity Infant and Child Health: infant and child morbidity, fetal alcohol syndrome, autism and developmental disabilities Innovations in Maternity Health Services: evidence based practices in maternity care that foster patient-provider communication and trust, and the barriers to implementation of evidence based practice International Maternal and Child Health: Examples of programs that have successfully helped women change behaviors pertaining to the health of mothers and children; also service provision to refugees with special attention to pregnancy, HIV and adolescence Policy and Financing of Women and Children's Health SIDS, Infant Mortality and Preterm Birth; etiology, risk factors, reducing disparities, effective prevention programs. Role of medical intervention in preterm birth Student Session: Papers from any topic in MCH will be accepted from individuals who are students at time of submission. The top five papers will be presented in a special oral session; other accepted papers will be considered for other sessions Technology Theater Sessions Violence Prevention in Families and Communities: child abuse/neglect, domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, elder adult abuse/neglect Women's Health: social and behavioral determinants (medical access, treatment decisions & role of stress) of women and cardiovascular disease, women's health in a global context-economic and global power, women's mental health throughout the lifecycle The MCH section attempts to balance our program each year with a mix of program, policy, and scientific work. This includes epidemiologic and outcomes research in MCH; program descriptions of successful and innovative MCH models and programs; MCH health promotion and disease prevention; program planning and evaluation of MCH programs; and public health policy and advocacy strategies in MCH. However, the focus of all abstracts should include public health implications of the program, research or policy being reviewed in the abstract. Abstracts are judged on clarity of presentation, originality, methodology and contribution to the field of MCH. Highest rated abstracts, based on blinded peer review, are generally selected and placed in sessions according to the overall program plan for that year. Abstracts that include data based on completion of the study or project will have priority. Abstracts may be submitted as a group. However, they will be reviewed individually and will be placed in sessions, if accepted, according to the discretion of the Program Committee. A two-page summary providing more details on the research or program described in the abstract is required. After typing in your abstract on the electronic submission website, press ENTER and then proceed to type in your two-page detailed summary. Abstracts submitted without all of the above will be returned to author without consideration. All necessary forms must be received by deadline stated in the APHA guidelines at the beginning of this call for abstracts. Late submissions or FAX submissions will not be accepted. The MCH Section generally sponsors scientific sessions, round tables and poster sessions. Please indicate willingness to participate in each type of format, especially note if you are unable or unwilling to participate in a poster session. Please also note if you are a current student as MCH sponsors special student programs. For the 2003 conference, the MCH section is soliciting abstracts for two special categories: 1. A special student session. Topics must be related to the field of MCH but may cover a variety of discipline topics including all those listed above. Papers will be reviewed by leaders in the field of MCH and the top 5 scoring abstracts will be presented at a special oral session at the annual convention to recognize students entering the field of MCH. An award will be given to the student with the highest scoring abstract. Papers not selected for the special student session will be forwarded to other MCH Section committees for consideration in other scientific sessions at the annual meeting. 2. Technology Theater Sessions. These sessions enable presenters to access the Internet for their presentations and makes available to them special equipment (e.g. CD Rom players, special computer software, special computer attachments, telephone line, etc). If your presentation is "technology dependent" please submit your abstract to this session (please note this DOES NOT include a need for a PowerPoint projector).
Program Planner Contact Information: Jane Pearson, RN St. Luke's Health Initiatives 2375 E. Camelback Rd. Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85016 Phone: 602/385-6502 Fax: 602-385-6510 jpearson@slhi.org and Hani K. Atrash, MD, MPH National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 4770 Buford Highway, F-34 Atlanta, GA 30341-3724 Phone: (770) 488-7150 Fax: (770) 488-7156 hatrash@cdc.gov