Health Informatics Information Technology is an innovation-driven Section in the American Public Health Association (APHA). Our mission is to improve the public’s health and facilitate prevention through innovative and effective information technology and informatics applications. The 2023 conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to interact with and learn from national and international experts. HIIT sessions will explore a variety of topics related to the use of informatics and information technology in creating healthier populations and preventing violence. HIIT invites abstracts (250 words maximum) related to the following topics:

Health Informatics Information Technology is an innovation-driven Section in the American Public Health Association (APHA). Our mission is to improve the public’s health and facilitate prevention through innovative and effective information technology and informatics applications. The 2023 conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to interact with and learn from national and international experts. HIIT sessions will explore a variety of topics related to the use of informatics and information technology in creating healthier populations and preventing violence. HIIT invites abstracts (250 words maximum) related to the following topics:

• 7th Annual HIIT Disparities Wearathon
  
  1. Health information/information technology that addresses a need in an APHA Sections, SPIGs, Forums or Caucuses
  2. How the United States is combatting health and economic disparities, and equity
  3. Wearable technologies and public health data collection, interpretation and policies.
  4. Identifying public and population health informatics strategies to improve health outcomes for native Americans and rural populations
• Big Data, Data Analytics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Public Health
  
  1. Developing core competencies and skills unique to public health informatics professionals
  2. GIS mapping, disease surveillance and public health policy
  3. Using data visualization and data analytics to reduce disparities/improve health outcomes
  4. Big data analytics in public health policy, research, and practice
  5. Are we getting the number of minority populations participating in clinical trials and genomic research through HIIT?
  6. Cloud computing and cybersecurity
  7. Big Data and Artificial Intelligence: A Need for Adhering to an Ethical Decision-Making Framework in Public Health
• COVID – 19: What you need to know
  
  1. COVID-19 long-term-effects
  2. The understanding of COVID-19 and other variants – misinformation The impact of misinformation on the public’s understanding COVID-19 and other variants
  3. Mental health effects related to the pandemic
  4. COVID-19 and prevention measures via masks and screening
  5. Ethical Resource Allocation Decision-Making During Public Health Emergencies
• Maternal and Child Health Disparities
  
  1. Access to technology during pregnancy for African American women and other minorities.
  2. Limited access to medications by underserved and low-income populations.
  3. Access opportunities for deploying innovative biotechnology solutions to reduce excess maternal and infant mortality, morbidity, and disability
  4. The effects of structural barriers on social determinants in maternal and child health
  5. The effects of mental health during and after pregnancy
  6. The importance of birthing justice related to pregnancy outcomes
• Telehealth/Telemedicine
  
  1. Technological advances in telemedicine 2022 and beyond
  2. Absence of telehealth use by healthcare providers and organizations throughout the United States.
  3. Improving access to care and equity through telemedicine
  4. Use of data analytics to reach and maintain equal opportunity and reduce disparities
  5. Collaborations and partnerships to explore use of consumer telehealth
• Understanding Equity and Inclusion in Today’s World
  
  1. How to advance equity, inclusion and mental health in a work environment
  2. The importance of policy to increase equity for racial and ethnic groups.
  3. Policy as the cornerstone for system’s change in promoting racial and ethnic equity
  4. Using public health informatics to address health disparities and equity
  5. Using evidence-based informatics models to reduce/eradicate economic and health disparities
  6. Developing sustainable biomedical and information technology-related innovations
• Women, Equity, Equality, Ethics, and Technology
  
  1. Women Veterans in Medicine Making In-Roads
  2. Equity, inclusion, and access to health technology for veterans and marginalized populations
  3. Advancing equality through the elimination of structural barriers for women in public health
  4. Resources and tools to eliminate disparities among women veterans.
  5. Advancing racial equity and support for women with technology
  6. Ethics and Artificial Intelligence:  Essentials for Public Health Practice

Please note that the deadline for submissions of all abstracts to HIIT is Friday, March 31, 2023. Abstracts submitted after the deadline will not be considered. All presenters must be members of APHA and HIIT. 

Abstracts must be submitted electronically through the APHA website. Structured abstracts are required. All abstracts should be organized into sections, each with a section heading. Typical headings/sections for research presentations are: 1) Background; 2) Objective/Purpose; 3) Methods; 4) Results; and 5) Discussion/Conclusions. Do not include references or citations in the text of the abstract. 

All abstracts must include a minimum of two learning objectives in the proper APHA format (i.e., “By the end of the session, participants will be able to [explain, describe, …]”).

When submitting, please check the abstract title (Note: Only capitalize the first letter and proper nouns per APHA guidelines) and text for spelling and grammatical errors. Do not include your name or contact information in the text portion as this prohibits blind peer review. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in your abstract being rejected. If you are unable to identify a specific session for your abstract, please submit it under “Other.”

Lastly, all abstracts should contain enough details to evaluate the scientific value of the work rather than alluding to what “will be” included in the presentation. Abstracts that do not adhere to these requirements will not be reviewed. Please contact the program planners (contact information listed below) if you have questions.

Abstracts will be peer reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of topic to HIIT and to APHA.
• Clearly written and conveys essence of research.
• Contains innovative and state-of-the-art information.
• Addresses populations that are underserved or bear a disproportionate burden.
• Advances the field of health informatics and information technology.
• Overall impression of abstract.
• All accepted abstracts are subject to review prior to presentation

Following are instructions for submitting a proposal for an entire session:

• Submit each abstract separately (up to four abstracts per session) to the same topic area. If a session proposal includes abstracts submitted to multiple topic areas, the session proposal will be considered incomplete.
• Contact the Co-Chair Program Planner, Iris Zachary, PhD; Co-Chair program planner, Diane L. Adams, M.D; with: a) a brief overview of the session (including relevance to health informatics information technology); b) at least three proposed learning objectives in APHA format for the entire session (all individuals abstracts that are part of the proposed session must have individual learning objectives); and c) title, first author and abstract number of all abstracts to be included in the session.

Session proposals may also include suggestions for moderators (name and contact information). Session proposals that do not adhere to these requirements will not be considered. Please contact the program planners (contact information below) if you have questions.

Only listed authors who are both APHA and HIIT members registered for the Annual Meeting can present accepted work. Only one author may present each abstract; multiple presenters for one abstract will not be accepted. Neither APHA nor HIIT can provide any financial support for author attendance at the Annual Meeting. However, students may apply for financial scholarships, which are subject to availability.

MODERATORS

Moderators are needed for all roundtable and oral presentation sessions. If your abstract is accepted, you may be asked to serve as a moderator of a panel or roundtable oral session.

PENALTIES
Following APHA guidelines, presenters and moderators who fail to show up for their presentation without notifying HIIT Section Program Planners in advance will not be permitted to present papers or posters at any APHA-sponsored meeting for two years following the “no-show” nor will they be invited to serve as a session moderator.

Presenters whose abstracts were accepted for presentation but subsequently withdrawn two or more times within the last five years may not be considered.

CONTINUING EDUCATION
APHA values the ability to provide continuing education credit to physicians, nurses, health educators, and those certified in public health at its annual meeting.

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 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. You MUST complete 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.

Example of UNACCEPTABLE Qualification Statement:
Please note that stating “I am a Principal Investigator/Project Coordinator of this project.”  Is NOT sufficient. This only gives the submitter’s job title or position. Please add more information about your experience and background.

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 planners listed below. Abstract submitters do not have to be APHA members. If your abstract is accepted by the HIIT Section, you and ALL co-authors must be/become an APHA and HIIT Member.

Presenters must register for the Annual Meeting to present. Donna Wright, Senior Manager, Event Education & Programs, APHA will notify authors of accepted abstracts by June 1, 2023. All APHA memberships must be paid no later than August 30, 2023. As part of your membership, you can select HIIT as your primary affiliation at no additional cost.

We use our membership dollars to support students with scholarships so that they may attend the Annual Meetings. Please contact our Program Planner Co-Chair, Iris Zachary, PhD; Co-Chair, and Diane L. Adams, MD

Note: Submitting an abstract to the HIIT Section implies that you understand the terms of this Call for Abstracts.

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Diane L. Adams, MD, MPH, DABCHS, CHS
Adamsd481@aol.com


and

Iris Zachary,
zacharyi@health.missouri.edu