Physical Activity

The APHA Physical Activity Section invites students, educators, researchers, health professionals, and community members to submit abstracts for the APHA 142nd Annual Meeting. We are seeking abstracts that address issues of physical activity and public health with particular emphasis on research, practice, and policy.  Built and social environments and the policies within them impact an individual’s level of physical activity; however, much remains to be understood about the best ways to measure and design environments and policies to promote active lifestyles. Both researchers and professionals in a variety of disciplines continue to search for ways to implement and evaluate policy and environmental changes to facilitate physical activity and health in diverse populations and settings. We welcome all submissions related to physical activity and public health, however, abstracts with outcomes/results are preferred.

Topics of particular interest for 2014 include:

• 1. Environmental strategies to promote physical activity or reduce sedentary behavior in diverse settings (e.g., rural, urban, worksites, schools, etc.)
  
• 2. Policy initiatives that address environmental and contextual factors influencing physical activity.
  
• 3. Technology innovations which improve our understanding of the contextual aspects of physical activity participation and sedentary behavior.
  
• 3. Technology innovations which improve our understanding of the contextual aspects of physical activity participation and sedentary behavior.
  
• 4. Community-based participatory interventions aimed at improving policies and environments to promote physical activity
  
• 5. Disparities in policies and environments and how these disparities impact physical activity and/or sedentary behavior
  

Abstract Format:

 

Abstracts should be no less than 150 words and no more than 250 words. Please include in your submission the type of presentation preferred (oral or poster) as well as 3 measurable objectives. Please include the following elements in each abstract:

1) Introduction or Background: Study objectives, hypothesis, or a description of the problem;

2) Methods: Study design, including a description of participants, procedures, measures, and appropriate analyses (for both quantitative and qualitative research);

3) Results: Specific results in summary form; and

4) Conclusion/Discussion: Description of the main outcome of the study and importance/significance of the work.

Submission and Review:

All Abstracts must be submitted electronically using the APHA Meeting website by the date published on the APHA website for the Physical Activity Section. Late, faxed, and email submissions cannot be accepted. APHA will send email notices of acceptance to abstract authors in early June 2014. 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.

APHA Physical Activity Section 2014 Student Poster Presentation Award

An award will be given for the most outstanding student poster presentation that is related to at least one of the PA Section topics of interest in the Call for Abstracts.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Student member (undergraduate, masters, doctoral) of the APHA Physical Activity Section at the time of submission.

2. Student should be the first author on the abstract.

3. Abstract should be based on independent research of the student. The awards committee will select up to 3 nominees each for the poster presentation award. A panel of PA Section Leadership Team members will attend the poster sessions to judge those students.

The poster presentations will be rated on a set of criteria including: Presentation style, content, quality of contribution to the literature/impact, quality of data & methodology. The 3 nominees will be recognized at the PA Section social event at the annual meeting. The award winner will be announced online at the end of the conference.

To be considered for the most outstanding student poster presentation award, please (1) submit your abstract through the regular online system and (2) send a separate email to Amy Elyler at  aeyler@wustl.edu with the subject "Application for PA Section student presentation award" indicating your name, university affiliation, email address, title of your presentation, a copy of your submitted abstract, and type of degree program (e.g., BA/BS, MS, MPH, PhD, MD) by Feb. 6, 2014.

APHA Physical Activity Section 2014 Steven P. Hooker Research Award

Awards will be given for the most outstanding research abstract that is related to at least one of the PA Section topics of interest in the Call for Abstracts.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Member (Regular, Student, Early Career Professional, Retired, Special Health Worker) of t he APHA Physical Activity Section at the time of submission. 2. Applicant should be the first author on the abstract. The awards committee will rate the abstracts on a set of criteria including: Content, quality of contribution to the literature/impact, quality of data & methodology. The award winner will be announced prior to the annual meeting and recognized at the PA Section social event at the annual meeting.

To be considered for the Steven P. Hooker Research Award, please (1) submit your abstract through the regular online system and (2) send a separate email to Amy Eyler at aeyler@wustl.edu with the subject "Application for PA Section Steven P. Hooker Research Award " indicating your name, university affiliation, email address, title of your abstract, and a copy of your submitted abstract by Feb. 6, 2014.

***Please note, students may apply for both awards but can only be a winner of one award.***

Invited or Special Sessions

The Physical Activity Section invites the submission of proposals for Invited or Special Sessions related to the theme of the Annual Meeting

Session Proposals:

Proposals for Invited or Special Sessions (i.e. sessions with invited speakers) must be submitted by email (no faxes, please) to the Program Planner. The proposal should be a brief (not more than two pages) overview including the title, purpose, relevance and importance of the proposed session, and the proposed invited speakers, their topics, and their affiliations. Include your full mailing address, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers. Format: The proposal should include a detailed schedule with: proposed presider(s); specific topics with the presenters' full names underlined plus the full names of all authors; a time schedule within the session (begin the session at 0:00 hrs and end it at 1:30). We suggest that Invited or Special Sessions allow time for a discussant. The session proposal should include all author information for the organizer, presider and discussants, if any. An individual presentation at an Invited or Special Session may be up to 30 minutes in length. Invited or Special session abstracts must be submitted starting March 24, 2014 through the deadline on April 18, 2014. A complete abstract for each proposed presentation must be submitted at the web site, with an indication of the Invited or Special session to which it belongs. An abstract submitted as part of an Invited or Special session should not be submitted as an individual contributed abstract. Submit invited or special session proposals to: Cindy Perry, PA Section Program Planning Chair perryci@ohsu.edu with the subject Submission for Invited Session for APHA PA Section

Continuing Education Credit

APHA values the ability to provide continuing education credit to physicians, nurses, health educators, and those certified in public health at its annual meeting. Please complete all required information when submitting an abstract so members can claim credit for attending your session. These credits are necessary for members to keep their licenses and credentials.

For a session to be eligible for Continuing Education Credit, each presenter, panelist, discussant, and/or faculty must provide:

1) an abstract free of trade and/or commercial product names;

2)  At least one measurable objective, which must include one of the following action words: explain, demonstrate, analyze, formulate, discuss, compare, differentiate, describe, name, assess, evaluate, identify, design, define, or list. Note: ‘to understand’ or ‘to learn’ are not measurable objectives.

3) A signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form with a relevant qualification statement; Example of Acceptable Biographical Qualification Statement: (I have been the principal or co-principal of multiple federally funded grants focusing on the epidemiology of drug abuse, HIV prevention and co-occurring mental and drug use disorders. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies for preventing HIV and STDs in out-of-treatment drug users.)

4) All continuing education learning content must be of sound science or professional practice and serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills and professional competence of the health professional. Learning content should be evidence-based if available. A list of over 30 areas will be provided online for you to choose from. You will be asked to choose at least one or up to 6 areas that your presentation will address.

Thank you for your assistance in making your session credit worthy. Contact Annette Ferebee at annette.ferebee@apha.org if you have any questions concerning continuing education. For program questions, contact the program planner below.

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Cindy Perry
School of Nursing
Oregon Health & Science University
3455 SW US Veterans Hospital Road
Portland, OR 97219
Phone: 503-494-3826
perryci@ohsu.edu

and
Andrew T. Kaczynski, PhD
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
915 Greene St, Room 529
Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-777-7063
atkaczyn@mailbox.sc.edu