The Peace Caucus was founded in 1985 to educate and engage the influential voice of public health professionals in efforts to promote peace. Through outreach and educational activities, we center peace and social justice as key determinants of the health of individuals and communities across the globe. War, an entirely human-made enterprise, has profound public health consequences and is an entirely preventable source of some of the world’s worst public health catastrophes. With more than 100 active armed conflicts globally, public health must prioritize peace. In celebration of the 40th year anniversary of the Peace Caucus, we invite abstracts on a broad range of topics relating to peace and social justice, health, and human rights. 

We seek abstracts that focus broadly on the health consequences of war, violence and conflict, and on activities and solutions related to their prevention. We are particularly interested in analyses that offer strategic solutions or examples of successful public health interventions.

We welcome abstracts that will advance the uptake of APHA’s 2009 policy “The Role of Public Health Practitioners, Academics, and Advocates in Relation to Armed Conflict and War” within and beyond APHA, as well as abstracts related to the 2025 APHA Conference theme "Making the Public's Health a National Priority."

We encourage co-sponsorship and participation in planning of these sessions by other sections, Special Primary Interest Groups, and caucuses, as well as by new professionals and students. We are seeking oral presentations, round tables, and films to be included in the convention film festival. We are unfortunately not allocated any poster session time slots.

Please feel free to contact Co-Program Planners Patrice Sutton at psutton2000@yahoo.com, Naseem Parsa at nparsa2@uic.edu, and Elise Pohl at elise.pohl@gmail.com if you would like to discuss your ideas prior to submission.

Sessions will be developed from the submissions as well as invited speakers, so do not be completely constrained by these titles.

Broad categories of potential sessions include:

• 40th Anniversary of the Peace Caucus
  2025 will mark the 40th year anniversary of the Peace Caucus! Submissions related to work with the Peace Caucus (current and historic) are welcomed.
• Economics of War and Peace
  This topic explores the financing of wartime systems, international trade in war, budgetary analysis, and moreover the economics of war. What do we stand to lose in the United States by overinvesting in militarism? This topic also includes the economics of peace, the conditions of a society that allow for peace, and the costs of rebuilding post-conflict societies.
• Legacies of War
  With the approaching 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this topic explores the lasting legacies of war, including the existence of landmines and toxic waste that have contaminated regions such as Laos, the Marshall Islands, New Mexico, and Japan. These legacies have affected not only civilians but also veterans of these wars.
• Peacemaking Initiatives
  This topic explores the full range of pathways to peacemaking, highlighting the lived experiences and voices of people on the front lines of war, including their families and communities in harm’s way. What can we learn from–and how can public health professionals support–people actively working towards peace, especially those on the ground amid conflict?
• Public Health Effects of War
  This topic explores the domestic and international harms of war and conflict on physical, mental and public health, including social and structural determinants of health. This includes, but is not limited to, human rights and war and health threats of war and conflict on civilians, veterans, and communities.
• “Forgotten” Conflicts
  This topic explores conflicts taking place that receive insufficient attention from the public, media, and anti-war movements. What are the reasons for this–and how can we resolve–these disparities in attention?

Questions? 

We welcome your questions prior to the abstract deadline. Please do not hesitate to contact us to answer your questions, discuss your ideas and suggestions, and help you submit an abstract. 

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, and/or discussant 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 Principal Investigator of this study is NOT an acceptable qualification statement.

4) All continuing education learning content must be of sound scientific 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.

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Patrice Sutton, MPH
psutton2000@yahoo.com


and

Naseem Parsa, MPH/MBA
nparsa2@uic.edu


and

Elise Pohl, MSc
elisepohl@gmail.com