The School Health Education and Services (SHES) section of the APHA invites abstracts for oral presentations and posters from those with an interest in the health and well being of students and staff members in preschool, K-12 school, and college settings. Findings from well designed research studies, case studies, policy development, and programs regarding current best practices, lessons learned, and policies are invited.  Abstracts should be no more than 250 words.  All presenters must be individual members of APHA to present and must register for the meeting.  Abstracts cannot be presented or published in any journal prior to the APHA Annual Meeting.  You must include learner-centered objectives with your abstract. Please use one of the examples of measurable action words provided on the submission form and format your learning objectives according to APHA's specific instructions. These are needed so we can get ANCC, MCHES, and CHES credit for our sessions.

Should your presentation need technology beyond a computer and projector, such as the internet, please submit to the APHA HIIT center call for abstracts. Should your presentation seek to preview a film, please submit to the  APHA film festival call for abstracts.

Potential topics include:

• Achieving social justice through school health
  
• Additional topics related to school health and the health of youth
  
• Alcohol and drug use prevention in schools
  
• Applications of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model
  
• Current trends in school-based health centers
  
• Effective health education curricula: Emerging trends
  
• Effective sexuality education programs in schools
  
• Every Student Succeeds Act: Implications for school health
  
• Evidence-based practice in school nursing: Emerging innovations
  
• Innovative strategies for managing chronic diseases in schools
  
• LGBTQ students and school health
  
• Local school wellness policy: Food and nutrition in schools
  
• Promoting school environmental health programs: Clean air, buildings, water, and transportation
  
• Promoting wellness through schools
  
• Public health nursing in schools
  
• School and community linkages to improve child health
  The prevention and treatment of childhood obesity are associated with significant health benefits in youth and schools are an ideal setting to deliver child-centered interventions. Public health experts encourage the application of ecological models and a population approach to enhance program reach, support program sustainability, and improve health outcomes. School-based childhood obesity prevention and treatment models that incorporate more than one sector are more likely to be effective. Abstracts that report impact and outcome evaluation results of school-based prevention and treatment interventions with community or clinical linkages will be given priority. Abstracts will be accepted and reviewed by both the SHES and PHEHP sections to create a collaborative session between section participants and other APHA attendees.
• School climate: Preventing violence and bullying in schools
  
• School health is public health
  
• Use of technology in schools to improve student health
  

Peer reviewers will assess the suitability of abstracts for presentation on the above format and the following criteria:

1. Significance of study in relation to school health
2. Appropriate methodology
3. Significance of findings/results
4. Quality of conclusions or recommendations
5. Usefulness for supporting or strengthening school health and the health of children, adolescents, and college students

The section will present an award for the “best” student research abstract. Preference will be given to completed research rather than to proposed projects or pilot studies.

Currently enrolled students in health education, nursing, medicine, social work, and counseling (and students enrolled in related programs of study) are strongly encouraged to submit abstracts of research work performed to satisfy academic coursework or requirements. Be sure to identify your academic program and institution. 

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 SINGLE outcome (“to understand” or “to learn” are not measurable outcomes and compound outcomes 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; 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.) Please note that I am the Principle Investigator of this study is NOT an acceptable qualification statement. 

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 Mighty Fine at mighty.fine@apha.org if you have any questions concerning continuing education. For program questions, contact the program planner listed below.

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Amy Cory, PhD, MPH, RN
amy.cory@valpo.edu