The LGBT Caucus of Public Health Professionals is soliciting abstracts for presentations in its scientific sessions at the 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association in Chicago, IL, October 31-November 4, 2015.  Topics should focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health research, professional practice, and incorporate the conference theme, “Health in All Policies”.   Content must be of sound science or professional practice and serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills and professional competence of the public health practitioner.  

LGBT topics may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Emerging Topics in LGBT Public Health
  
• Global, International and/or Transnational LGBT Public Health
  
• Intersectionality and LGBT Public Health
  
• Resiliency and LGBT Public Health
  
• Sexual Minority Women’s Public Health (Including Lesbians, Bisexual Women, and/or WSW/WSWM)
  
• Social Contexts and/or Social Determinants of LGBT Public Health
  
• Trans/Gender-variant People's Public Health
  

Walter J. Lear Outstanding Student Research Award

The Caucus strongly encourages student participation and has established the Walter J. Lear Outstanding Student Research Award to recognize exceptional work by students on LGBT-related issues. The award consists of a scholarship and free Caucus membership for one year. Students are invited to submit abstracts at all levels of presentation (oral or poster). Please indicate student status when submitting the abstract to be considered for the award.

APHA Membership and Meeting Registration Requirements

Submitting abstracts does not require APHA membership.  However, if accepted, presenters must be individual members of APHA and have registered for the meeting to present. 

Abstract Review and Selection

All abstracts submitted to the Caucus undergo blinded, peer review and must comply with the criteria outlined below. Reviews will not be forwarded to abstract authors.

Scientific Session Formats

The LGBT Caucus accepts three scientific session formats for abstracts – preferred format, if any, should be identified when the abstract is submitted.  Scientific session formats include:

1. Oral presentation (individual)
2. Panel session – Due to the limited number of sessions available to the LGBT Caucus, the Caucus discourages the submission of complete panel discussion.  However, if you choose to submit a panel, the session cannot have more than 5 speakers. Each speaker must submit an individual abstract for his/her presentation, which will be scored independent of the session.  Additionally, the panel organizer should submit a panel abstract to the Program Chair noting the abstracts that are participating in the panel.
3. Poster presentation (individual)

Continuing Education Credits

APHA and the LGBT Caucus value the ability to provide continuing education credit to physicians, nurses, health educators, and those certified in public health at its annual meeting. All abstracts submitted to the LGBT Caucus will be submitted for Continuing Education Credits and must adhere to the abstract requirements.  Abstracts that do not adhere to the abstract requirements will not be accepted. 

Abstract Requirements

Abstracts should be no more than 250 words.  Abstracts cannot be presented at any conference or published in any journal prior to the APHA Annual Meeting. 

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 SINGLE objective (“to understand” or “to learn” are not measurable objectives and compound objectives are not acceptable).  Use ONLY the following Measurable Action Verbs:  Explain, Demonstrate, Analyze, Formulate, Discuss, Compare, Differentiate, Describe, Name, Assess, Evaluate, Identify, Design, Define or List.
3. A signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form with a relevant qualification statement related to the presenters expertise of the abstract topic. Example of Acceptable Biographical Qualification Statement: (I have been the principal investigator or co-principal investigator 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.

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Sel J. Hwahng, PhD
Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race
Columbia University
424 Hamilton Hall
1130 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 718-974-8167
hwahng@gmail.com

and
Don Allensworth-Davies, PhD, MSc
School of Health Sciences
Cleveland State University
2121 Euclid Avenue, HS-124
Cleveland, OH 44115-2214
Phone: 216-687-3833
Fax: 216-687-9316
d.allensworthdavies@csuohio.edu