CALL FOR ABSTRACTS — APHA 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo
Integrative, Complementary and Traditional Health Practices
Meeting theme: "Making the Public’s Health a National Priority"
Submission Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025
Dear ICTHP friends and colleagues,
The call for abstracts for the 2025 Annual Meeting is now open!
While submissions related to the annual theme will be prioritized, we also welcome abstracts broadly related to integrative, complementary, and traditional health practices (ICTHP), including: acupuncture, Ayurveda, mind-body interventions, health coaching, holistic nursing, massage therapy, integrative care, physical activity, energy healing, herbs, holistic nutrition, spiritual healing, yoga, and tai-chi.
Examples of session topics include:
Advocacy in ICTHP
Evaluating and Promoting Evidence-based Traditional/Indigenous Health Practices
ICTHP Approaches to Hard-to-Treat Complex Chronic Conditions
Increasing Scientific Rigor and Evidence-based Practices in ICTHP
Innovations in Integrative, Complementary, and Traditional Health Practice
Policies that Influence Coverage, Practice, and the Accessibility of ICTHP
Utilizing ICTHP to Increase Health Equity
Collaborative Sessions. This year, ICTHP also invites abstracts for two proposed collaborative sessions focused on:
Indigenous Health Practices. In collaboration with the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AIANNH) Caucus, this session will highlight research, practice, and policy taking place in and by Indigenous communities in the United States and worldwide.
Psychedelics in Public Health. Held in collaboration with the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) and Mental Health Sections, this session will explore the evidence, safety, efficacy, and policy landscape related to the use of psychedelics to improve health.
Content. Preference will be given to abstracts that feature originality, use of innovative approaches, potential impact on the field, clarity of presentation, reliance on high-quality scientific data, and potential level of interest. Submissions related to the following types of evidence-based research are encouraged:
pragmatic or effectiveness trials;
efficacy or effectiveness studies;
health care policy analyses;
analyses of observational studies;
methodological innovations or strategies to increase scientific rigor;
demonstration projects;
public health or educational program development; and
systematic reviews.
Format. Abstracts of 250 words or less may be submitted for oral or poster sessions. Submissions should be structured with a background, methods, results, and discussion/conclusion.
Background: Why did you do it? Why is this important to public health?
Methods: How did you do it? What kind of study/investigation did you do and how did you go about it? (e.g., was it randomized trial, observational study, feasibility study, qualitative study, quality improvement study, or program evaluation). How did you analyze your results?
Results: Describe the sample, key findings (with numbers as appropriate, such as an odds ratio with 95% confidence interval or mean difference with confidence interval or feasibility percentages OR with qualitative themes), and any other findings you wish to highlight.
Discussion/Conclusion: Put findings into context and note limitations/strengths. Why are your findings important to public health and/or what does your study/evaluation add to the to what is known on this topic?
Awards. The ICTHP Section advocates for rising professionals in our field and seeks submissions from students and junior scholars for both oral and poster presentations. Best poster awards will be announced and presented at the annual meeting during the ICTHP Section Award Reception. All poster authors are encouraged to attend.
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:
An abstract free of trade and/or commercial product names;
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.
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.
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.
