The School Health and Wellness (SHAW) section focuses on a population-based, coordinated approach to addressing and improving the health and well-being of students and staff members in preschool, K-12 school, and college settings.

We invite abstracts that reflect our focus, particularly those that highlight Current Research or Innovative Practices in school health. Abstracts based on specific topics should be presented in context of the larger vision of school health.

Preference will be given to abstracts that demonstrate a population-based, coordinated approach. 

• Innovative Practice or Research: Addressing Physical Activity and Nutrition in School Settings
  
• Innovative Practice or Research: Addressing Reproductive and Sexual Health and Identity in School Settings
  
• Innovative Practice or Research: Addressing Social and Emotional Health in School Settings (e.g., attendance/truancy/discipline; mental health; resilience; safety/violence; school climate; substance use; and trauma/adverse childhood experiences)
  
• Innovative Practice or Research: School Health Service Delivery (e.g., school nursing, school-based health centers, mobile clinics, telehealth programs)
  
• Innovative Practice or Research: Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model
  

Abstracts should be no more than 250 words.

Include the following sections in your Current Research or Innovative Practices abstract:

Current Research

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Innovative Practice

Background/ Issue

Description

Lessons Learned

Implications/Recommendations

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.

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. Focus on a population-based, coordinated approach to addressing health in school settings
6. Usefulness for supporting or strengthening school health and the health of children, adolescents, and college students
7. If appropriate, brief explanation of how project/study was organized in the school setting or (for those working outside of school setting) how the project/study was coordinated with school personnel already in the school.

The section will present an award for “Outstanding Student Research in School Health.” Preference will be given to completed research rather than to proposed projects or pilot studies. Currently enrolled students in public health, education, health education, nursing, medicine, social work, counseling, and related programs of study to school health 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 and indicate that you would like your work to be considered for this award. 

Continuing Education Credit

APHA 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.

For a session to be eligible for Continuing Education Credit, each presenter must provide:

• An abstract free of trade and/or commercial product name.
• At least one MEASURABLE outcomes (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.

Contact Mighty Fine at mighty.fine@apha.org if you have any questions concerning continuing education credit. Please contact the program planner for all other questions.

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Elizabeth Dickson, PhD, MSN, RN
EDickson@salud.unm.edu


and

Lori Spruance, PhD, CHES
lori.spruance@byu.edu