Call for Abstracts

Abstract Submission Deadline is Saturday, July 5, 2008, Midnight Pacific

Deadline in other time zones: 1:00 am Mountain time, 2:00 am Central time, 3:00 am Eastern time. See World Clock.

Making a Difference in Global Public Health: Education, Research, and Practice

Overview

We live in a world where nations and economies are increasingly interdependent. The world is at a crossroads where discussions about appropriate educational, research and practice infrastructures is key. The 12th Triennial Congress on Public Health will bring together leaders from across the globe to discuss these important issues and to bring together the strengths of developing and developed countries.

The strengthening of the capacity of the public health workforce and system in support of the essential public health functions and the Millennium Development Goals have been central to the work of the World Federation of Public Health Associations and its member organizations. While we know public health education, research, & practice must be tied to national health priorities, there is much to learn from all of our global experiences.

At the 10^th World Congress on Public Health, held in Brighton, England in 2004, there were discussions about the crisis of human resources for health and the implications for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). An outcome of the 10th World Congress was the signing of the Declaration of Joint Work between schools and associations of public health. At the 58th Congress of the Mexican Society of Public Health, later that year, the human resource crisis was again discussed.

At the 11^th Triennial World Congress, the WFPHA adopted a resolution that noted the adverse impact of globalization upon health conditions. The resolution calls for a new social justice model of development that includes the elimination of all social inequalities in access to health care, stronger inter-sectoral links, and the development and strengthening of the public health workforce. Commenting on the simultaneous reversals of improvement in some health indicators with gains in other indicators, Dr. S. M. Asib Nasim, President, WFPHA, recognized the lack of knowledge, competency, and efficiency in public health to resolve this dilemma. He noted that the lack of preparation of public health workers and the disorganization of the public health workforce must be addressed in order to apply advancements in knowledge to the improvement of population health. The WFPHA President Elect, Paulo Buss, in assuming leadership of the Brazil Commission on Social Determinants, points to the need for public policies that promote health equity, acknowledge health as a public good, includes the participation of all segments of the society, and the need to change real living and working conditions that create opportunities for all.

The 12^th Triennial Congress will address the enormous challenges and opportunities for public health organizations worldwide to make a difference.

The World Federation of Public Health Associations and the Turkish Public Health Association invite local, national and international public health leaders, advocates and students to submit abstracts dealing with the major cross-cutting sub-themes: education, research, and practice. These abstracts should demonstrate the link between public health education, research, and practice and improved health outcomes. The abstracts should also showcase innovations, practices, tools and transferable lessons from across the globe that will help us make a decided difference in global public health. We invite you to submit abstracts in the following general topics:

• Education in Public Health for 21st Century
• Global Public Health Workforce
• Public Health & Health Services Research & Technology
• Global Governance
• Health and Development
• Comparative Analysis of Health Systems
• Strengthening Global Public Health Systems
• Financing Global Public Health
• Environmental Safety & Stewardship
• Health, Geopolitics, & Public Diplomacy
• Public Health, Political Will, & the Public Good

General Submission Guidelines

• Abstracts must contain no more than 300 words. No images, charts, or tables are allowed.
• All submissions must adhere to specified formats described under Abstract Requirements.
• For each presenter, please provide: name, degrees, affiliation, mailing address, email address, phone number, professional experience, and conflict of interest disclosure. These items are not included in the 300 word limit.
• For all other authors you are only required to provide name, affiliation, and email address.
• You are strongly encouraged to compose the abstract text in your own word processor before submitting it online. Be sure to check spelling, word count, and conformance with the guidelines given below.
• The Scientific Committee will provide assistance with developing an abstract upon request.

Abstract Requirements

Once you have submitted the title of your presentation you will automatically receive an email that includes a password-protected hyperlink. If you must interrupt the submission process before finishing it, you can resume at any time by clicking on the hyperlink in that email. For help in submitting an abstract online, e-mail technical support.

Selection Criteria

• Topic
  • The topic is consistent with the 2009 Congress theme/subthemes and is compelling.
  • The topic has current relevance and presents new information, a new application, or a fresh perspective on existing knowledge.
• Textual Features of the Abstract:
  • The abstract is well organized, concise, and clearly written?
  • The abstract has clear, worthy and measurable objectives.
• Research Design:
  • The abstract illustrates the author's (authors') working knowledge of education, research and/or practice.
  • The abstract is well-grounded in science and practice.
  • The author provides sufficient information about any supporting data/philosophy/framework.
• Results:
  • The abstract provides evidence that the information presented supports and improves the science of public health education, research, and/or practice.
• Impact
  • The presentation illustrates the potential to improve knowledge and provides innovative, state-of-the-art, and/or state-of-the-science information.
  • The author(s) indicate(s) the potential value/contributions of the presentation to science/society

Abstract Review

• Each abstract is reviewed by at least 2 reviewers. If there is a large discrepancy between the two reviews, a third reviewer will be enlisted.
• Abstracts are scored on a scale of 1 to 5 with a maximum possible score of 50.
• Decision on whether an abstract will be selected rests with the Scientific Committee and is based on the average score and the recommendations of reviewers.