The Integrative, Complementary, and Traditional Health Practices (ICTHP) Section invites you to submit poster and oral presentation proposals for the 2026 APHA Annual Meeting.

We welcome submissions related to the research, policy, and evidence-based practice of integrative, complementary, and traditional health practices. This includes acupuncture, Ayurveda, mind-body interventions, health coaching, holistic nursing, massage therapy, integrative care, physical activity, energy healing, herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, spiritual healing, yoga, tai-chi, among others.

Submission Format. Abstracts of 250 words should be submitted for oral or poster sessions. Submissions should be structured with a background, methods, results, and discussion/conclusion.

• Introduction/Background: Provides relevant context, summarizes existing literature to justify the importance of the problem being investigated, and states the study purpose/research question.
• Methods: Describes the study design, setting, population, and procedures, including data sources, measures, and the approaches used to address the research question.
• Results: Characterizes the study sample and reports key findings, including descriptive statistics or primary outcomes relevant to the study objectives.
• Discussion: Interprets findings in relation to existing literature, discusses strengths and limitations, and explains the implications of the results for research, practice, or policy within the ICTHP field.

Review Criteria. 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 relevance to ICTHP and the aforementioned topics of interest. Submissions related to the following types of evidence-based research are encouraged:

• Analyses of observational studies
• Demonstration projects
• Efficacy or effectiveness studies
• Health care policy analyses
• Methodological innovations or strategies to increase scientific rigor
• Pragmatic or effectiveness trials
• Public health or educational program development
• Systematic reviews

Presenter Requirements. All authors making an oral or poster presentation at the 2026 Annual Meeting & Exposition must register for the annual meeting.

Awards. Poster, presentation, and section-wide awards will be presented at the annual meeting during the ICTHP Section Award Reception.

Continuing Education Credit. Please complete all required information when submitting an abstract so members can claim professional continuing education credit for attending oral sessions. During submission, each author is expected to provide:

• A submission free of trade and/or commercial product name.
• At least ONE MEASURABLE outcome.
• Describe using the following verbs: Explain, Demonstrate, Analyze, Formulate, Discuss, Compare, Differentiate, Describe, Assess, Evaluate, Identify, Design, Define or List.
• A signed Conflict of Interest (Disclosure) form and Qualification Statement.

• Integrative, Complementary, and Traditional Health Practices Late Breakers
  

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Malik Tiedt,
mt3726@tc.columbia.edu


and

Victoria Behm, MS, MTS, CPH, CNS, LDN
victoria.behm@unc.edu


and

Katherine Smith, MPH, ACC, NBC-HWC
smithkz@umich.edu