The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) Section invites submission of abstracts for presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo (November 4-8, 2017; Atlanta, GA). The ATOD Section will emphasize several topical areas in its program (described below); however, all abstracts related to alcohol, tobacco, or drug use are welcome. Abstracts must be submitted under one of the following categories:

• Alcohol
  Submissions may address heavy and hazardous drinking, associated harms, alcohol use disorders and comorbidities, screening, prevention interventions, and treatment services, alcohol policy, and contextual influences, among other topics.
• Cross-Cutting Approaches to Cannabis Use
  Given its rapidly changing legal status, we encourage submissions of novel research and evidence-based practice that extend our understanding of cannabis use. Recognizing the promise of greater impact through collaborations, we encourage submissions from different perspectives, including but not limited to regulatory models and approaches (e.g., medical vs. recreational use), public policy, surveillance, impaired driving, workplace impact, and preventing and addressing disparities, among others.
• Health Equity and Substance Use Disparities
  The ATOD Section seeks abstracts that address substance use disparities, defined as preventable group differences in health outcomes related to unfair social, economic, political, or environmental disadvantages. Abstracts may focus on any dimension of inequity, including (but not limited to) race/ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, socio-economic status, or geographic location.
• Integrated Behavioral Health: Mental Health and Substance Use
  Co-occurring mental health problems and alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use diminish the capacity of individuals and communities to thrive. In partnership with the Mental Health Section, we seek submissions for a collaborative session that bridges these aspects of behavioral health. Presentations may include, but are not limited to, basic research on dual diagnoses, prevention of substance use in the context of mental health treatment, program performance measures, or integrated treatment services, among others.
• Outstanding Student Work (Award Candidates)
  The ATOD Section seeks to recognize promising work by students. To be considered for an award, students must submit an abstract under the Student Award Candidate Showcase category. Accepted abstracts will be included in a special poster session highlighting student work. Award winners will be selected from poster session participants and announced at the ATOD Section reception.
• The Physical Environment, Climate Change, and Its Impact on ATOD Issues
  Following the annual meeting theme, we recognize that climate change may force the public health workforce to re-examine ATOD issues. We welcome abstracts that address the intersection of the physical environment and substance use, such as contingency planning for substance use treatment needs in the wake of natural disasters, disposal of prescription medication that avoids water contamination, or tobacco use as a source of greenhouse gas emissions, among others.
• The Practice of Substance Use Prevention
  Given that practice is where innovation often occurs, the ATOD Section seeks submissions that show novel applications of research for substance use prevention. We welcome abstracts that focus on all substances (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs), age groups, and levels of prevention activities (e.g., universal, targeted, and indicated).
• Tobacco
  Abstracts may focus on tobacco use in all forms, including smokeless tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes), as well as prevention and cessation efforts, tobacco control policy, and product regulation, among other topics.
• Other Drugs
  Submissions may address illicit drug use, prescription drug misuse, overdose prevention, harm reduction, and the recent opioid epidemic, among others.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Authors must submit abstracts electronically through the APHA abstract management web site: https://apha.confex.com/apha/2017/oasys.epl. The web site provides complete instructions on the length and format of abstracts. Authors may also contact the Program Chair, Paul Gilbert (paul-gilbert@uiowa.edu), for clarification or assistance if needed.

The ATOD Section prefers structured abstracts. For original research submissions, the abstract should include the following sections: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. For policy, descriptive, or other types of submissions, the abstract should include the following sections: Issue, Description, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations.

Abstracts are limited to 300 words or less.

All abstracts must include at least one measurable learning outcome that uses one of the following measurable action verbs: explain, demonstrate, analyze, formulate, discuss, compare, differentiate, describe, name, assess, evaluate, identify, design, define, or list. Please note that “understand” and “learn” are NOT measurable learning outcomes and should not be used.

EXAMPLE: Compare risk of substance use disorders by gender and race/ethnicity.

All abstracts must be free of trade and/or commercial product names in order to qualify for continuing education credit; however, speakers may mention trade and/or commercial product names during their presentations.

EXAMPLE: State “a major tobacco company” rather than naming the business or its products.

Presenting authors must provide a conflict of interest disclosure and a qualification statement that specifically justifies their presentation of the material; a general statement of the author’s training or degrees earned is NOT sufficient.

EXAMPLE: I am qualified because I have worked in this area for the past 12 years. I was a member of the team that conceptualized this project and have been actively involved in all aspects of its execution, including the evaluation of outcomes described in this presentation.

The ATOD Section has made offering continuing education credit for its oral scientific sessions a priority. Authors must select at least one continuing education core area that their abstract addresses during the online submission process. A list of over 30 areas will be provided during the online submission, and authors may choose one to six areas.

Authors may indicate their preference for “oral only,” “poster only,” or “no preference” at submission. Oral sessions are limited and highly competitive.  We encourage authors to select “no preference” to maximize flexibility.

All presenters must be members of APHA by the date of the meeting and must register for the meeting.

---

Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Paul A. Gilbert, PhD, ScM
Department of Community and Behavioral Health
University of Iowa College of Public Health
145 N. Riverside Drive
N414 CPHB
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319-384-1478
paul-gilbert@uiowa.edu

and
Steven Kritz, MD
START Treatment & Recovery Centers
22 Chapel Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718 260-2955
Fax: 718 522-3186
skritz@startny.org