The ATOD Section encourages abstracts that address the annual meeting theme: “Rebuilding Trust in Public Health and Science” under any of the submission categories described below. Submissions to the ATOD section may address novel research, evidence-based practice, and practice-based evidence that will extend our understanding of ATOD initiation, substance use, and substance use disorder. Submissions may focus on specific policy or intervention strategies, prevention, regulations or treatment initiatives, and initiatives directed toward specific populations (e.g., K-12 students, college students, marginalized individuals, pregnant persons, employees/workers), geographic areas, as well as ATOD-related epidemiological work.
All abstracts related to substance use are welcome. The ATOD section values health equity in all content areas and encourages submissions that reflect a focus on social drivers of health, especially work centered on historically marginalized and/or underrepresented populations. We also encourage submissions that address ATOD issues across substances, including polysubstance use, emerging topics, and integration of a full continuum of services. Abstract categories include:
Industry Affiliation: APHA ATOD will not accept abstracts that are submitted by individuals who have an association or affiliation with alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or other drug industries, their representatives (including legal), producers, wholesalers, retailers, associations, foundations, trade organizations, contractors or anyone receiving funding in part or whole for their work or research that is related to the abstract. Disclosure at the time of submission is required.
Abstracts are limited to 300 words or less.
Structured abstracts are preferred for submission to the ATOD Section, consequently, abstracts that do not reflect the following two formats may be less favorably scored by abstract reviewers.
Original research submissions: the abstract should include the following sections: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
Policy, descriptive, or other types of submissions: the abstract should include the following sections: Issue, Description, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations.
Session Type: 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 likelihood of acceptance.
Additional Instructions:
Authors must submit abstracts electronically through the APHA abstract management web site: https://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual. The web site provides complete instructions on the length and format of abstracts.
Session proposals are not solicited in the call for abstracts; however, they will be considered.
Submit an abstract for each individual presentation following the steps on the submission form.
Submit an abstract for the overarching session and in the ‘Comments to Organizer’ text box located on the title step of the submission form, indicate the abstract ID numbers and presenter names of those abstracts that should be included with the proposal. Each abstract will be blind reviewed and accepted on its own merit and all abstracts must be accepted for the overarching session to be accepted.
Please contact the ATOD Program Co-Chairs, Ginny Chadwick (ginnychadwick@brandeis.edu) and Jessica Duncan Cance (jessica.cance@gmail.com) for specific instructions regarding session proposals.
CE Credits: APHA and the ATOD Section values the ability to provide continuing education credit to physicians, nurses, health educators, veterinarians, 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. Contact Mighty Fine at mighty.fine@apha.org if you have any questions concerning continuing education credit. For a session to be eligible for Continuing Education Credit, each presenter must provide:
An abstract free of trade and/or commercial product names.
At least one MEASURABLE outcome (DO NOT USE “To understand” or “To learn” as objectives, they are not measurable). Examples of Acceptable Measurable Action Words: Explain, Demonstrate, Analyze, Formulate, Discuss, Compare, Differentiate, Describe, Name, Assess, Evaluate, Identify, Design, Define or List.
A signed Conflict of Interest (Disclosure) form with a relevant Qualification Statement. See an example of an acceptable Qualification Statement on the online Disclosure form.
Learning Objective: 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, know, and learn are NOT measurable learning outcomes and shouldnot be used.
EXAMPLE: Compare risk of substance use disorders by gender and race/ethnicity.
Conflict of Interest: 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.
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.
The ATOD Section Program Planners Co-Chairs, Ginny Chadwick and Jessica Duncan Cance, are available for any further questions (contact information below).
Ginny Chadwick,
ginnychadwick@brandeis.edu
and
Jessica Cance, MPH, PhD
JESSICA.CANCE@GMAIL.COM