HIV/AIDS

The HIV/AIDS Section of the American Public Health Association invites Abstracts and Full Session Proposals presenting the results of scientific research, program evaluations, policy analysis, and lessons learned from community-based interventions related to HIV/AIDS for the 136th American Public Health Association Meeting and Exposition to be held on October 25-29, 2008 in San Diego, California.

The theme of the 2008 meeting is “Public Health Without Borders,” and Abstracts and Full Session Proposals that reflect this theme are particularly encouraged.

Abstracts may be submitted for oral, poster, or roundtable sessions. Submission of an abstract to the HIV/AIDS section is an expression of the presenting author’s intentions of attending the Annual Meeting and presenting the work should it be accepted. The following general topics are areas of interest for the 2008 program, although other HIV/AIDS-related topics also will be considered.

• HIV/AIDS Policy
• HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment
• HIV/AIDS Research
• HIV/AIDS Without Borders
• International HIV Research and Practice
• LGBT Communities and HIV
• Population Specific HIV Issues
• Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and HIV
• Student Work
• Other HIV/AIDS Topic Areas

Submission and Review: All Abstracts must be submitted electronically using the APHA Meeting website by the date published on the APHA website for the HIV/AIDS section. Late, faxed, and email submissions cannot be accepted. APHA will send email notices of acceptance to abstract authors in early June 2008.


All Abstracts are subject to masked peer review by at least three reviewers. Please remove any references to a specific institution in the body of the abstract to permit masked review and ensure fairness. By submitting an abstract proposal, the author(s) agree that, if accepted, the paper will be presented as scheduled.


Structured Abstract Format: Abstracts should be submitted in a structured format. Please use one of the following two formats:




• Background: Study objectives, hypothesis, or a description of the problem;


• Methods: Study design, including a description of participants, procedures, measures, and appropriate statistical analyses;


• Results: Specific results in summary form; and


• Conclusions: Description of the main outcome of the study.



An alternative format, suited for abstracts about policy, programs, interventions, and other types of research evaluations, may be used:




• Issues: A short summary of the issue(s) addressed;


• Description: Description of the project, experience, service, or advocacy program;


• Lessons Learned: A brief description of the results of the project; and


• Recommendations: A brief statement of next steps.



Review Criteria: Standardized criteria will be used to evaluate all abstract submissions. These criteria include: (1) adherence to specified format as indicated under structured abstract format, (2) innovation and relevance, (3) rigor and appropriateness of methods and approaches, (4) contribution to science and/or practice, and (5) results/lessons learned. Note that incomplete abstracts will not be judged.


Final Program: The final program will be based on peer-reviewer evaluations of the abstract proposals with consideration for available time and space, the program theme, diversity of topics, and any speakers invited by the HIV/AIDS Section leadership to participate in the 2008 program.


Only listed authors who are both APHA members and registered for the Annual Meeting may present accepted work. Neither APHA nor the HIV/AIDS Section provides any financial support for author attendance at the Annual Meeting.


Student Presentations: Presentations by students are encouraged. Although completed research studies are preferred, students may submit work-in-progress for consideration.


Instructions for Full Session Proposals: Submissions of Proposals For Full Sessions (90 minutes in length) may be submitted. In addition to the electronic online submission of an individual abstract for EACH of the 3-5 papers to be included in a Session, a one-page overview of the proposed Session MUST be submitted directly to the planner via electronic mail to: mireece@indiana.edu. This one-page overview should include:




• Overall session title;


• Name of the lead facilitator and the contact person for the Session;


• Brief overview of the rationale for the Session; and


• List (in presentation order) of the individual abstracts to be organized into this Session, complete with titles, presenters' name, and time allocated for each presentation and any discussion periods.



Please note that each individual abstract to be included in a Session must be submitted through the APHA electronic abstract submission process. In the "Comments to Organizers" box for each abstract submission, the authors should indicate that the abstract is to be considered as part of the Proposed Session (indicated by Session title).


All abstracts are reviewed on their individual merit, and the
acceptance of a panel submission is not a guarantee that all abstracts
submitted for that session will be accepted or that they will all be
scheduled together. Unless instructed otherwise, the HIV/AIDS Section
Program Committee will consider the individual abstracts from any
rejected Full Session for possible presentation in Abstract sessions.
Therefore, an abstract submitted as part of a Full Session should not
also be submitted as an individual contributed abstract to any other
section, interest group or caucus.

Program Planner Contact Information:
Michael Reece, PhD, MPH
Center for Sexual Health Promotion
Indiana University-Bloomington
1025 E. 7th St
HPER 116
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: (812) 855-0068
Fax: (812) 855-3936
mireece@indiana.edu

and
Tania B. Basta, PhD, MPH
School of Health Sciences
Ohio University
Grover Center E331
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-593-4681
basta@ohio.edu