The Gerontological Health Section welcomes abstracts on all topics related to health and aging for the 137th APHA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Abstract submissions related to the 2009 Annual Meeting theme of "Water and Public Health" are especially encouraged.
Additional areas of interest for GHS sessions include:
- Biology of Aging
- Chronic Disease Self-care
- Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life
- Community-Based Long-Term Care
- Emergency Preparedness and Older Adults
- End of Life Issues
- Environment and Aging
- Future of Public Health Policy in Aging
- Health Promotion for Older Adults
- Healthcare Practices and Utilization among Older Adults
- International Health and Aging
- Immigrant and Minority Health and Aging
- Nutrition and Aging
- Nursing Home Care and Utilization
- Older Adults and Disability
- Physical Activity and Successful Aging
- Rural Aging Issues
- Personal Assistance, Social Support, and Caregiving
- Translating Aging Research into Practice
- Women's Health Issues
We welcome empirical research or practice-related presentations, using either quantitative or qualitative methods. Individuals may submit up to two abstracts as first author to the Gerontological Health Section. Submissions may be for poster, oral, or roundtable session formats; please note desired format on the abstract form. All presenters must become individual members of APHA and register for the Annual Meeting in order to give their presentation. The deadline for submitting abstracts to GHS is Feb. 9, 2009.
Symposium Sessions
We also invite submissions for 90 minute symposium sessions. Please e-mail the program chair if you are submitting a symposium; these require special processing for appropriate review. There will only be a few open time slots available for consideration as a session. Because of the volume of abstracts we receive and the limited number of oral sessions we are allotted, we cannot consider symposium sessions containing fewer than four presented papers. Symposium proposals must be submitted along with each individual presentation abstract. This complete package gives the reviewers more substance from which to judge the overall merits of the proposal. Symposium submissions should contain:
1. An overall session abstract, which includes a rationale for the session, the proposed paper titles, author(s), order of presentation, and the abstract numbers for the individual papers;
2. Clearly label the overall session abstract with “SESSION ABSTRACT - your proposed session title" (you fill in the italicized part but keep the SESSION ABSTRACT) on the electronic submission page form when entering your proposal;
3. The proposed moderator and/or discussant;
4. Be sure that each individual proposed presentation submits a separate abstract under the same restricted "category" (session title), otherwise they may become lost in the shuffle; please include the session abstract #;
5. Put contact information (phone and e-mail) for person in charge of session directly on the overall session abstract so we can contact you easily; and
6. Indicate whether or not you would like to have the individual abstracts considered for presentation in other sessions, if your proposed session is not accepted. Please state, "YES, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ABSTRACTS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY" or "NO, I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THESE ABSTRACTS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY".
Please be aware that each paper in the symposium is scored individually and the symposium is also scored as a group. The individual presentation abstracts must score reasonably well in order to be considered for a symposium session.
Abstract scoring:
All abstract submissions are evaluated based on the following criteria:
1. Significance of the problem to public health and aging.
2. Innovativeness of ideas, methods and or approach.
3. Methodological rigor of methods and approach (analytical design for research, systematic approach for practice and or policy).
4. Presentation of empirical findings.
5. Implications identified for future research, practice and/or policy.
6. Clarity of writing.
GHS Awards
The Gerontological Health Section sponsors several awards related to various categories of aging and public health. If you would like to be considered for one of the following awards, please indicate which one on your abstract submission form by selecting the award from the drop-down box.
*Aetna Susan B Anthony Award for Excellence in Research on Older Women and Public Health
* Betty J. Cleckley Minority Issues Research Award
* Nobuo Maeda International Aging & Public Health Research Award
* Retirement Research Foundation Masters Student Research Award
* Retirement Research Foundation Doctoral Student Research Award
*Excellence in Aging and Rural Health Research Award
* James G. Zimmer New Investigator Research Award
*The Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence in Program Innovation
*The Erickson Foundation Award for Excellence in Research
We would like to highlight three of the above awards. The Erickson Foundation Award for Excellence in Aging is a new award, funded by the Erickson Foundation, with the following purpose:
The Erickson Foundation Award for Excellence in Research recognizes high-caliber research that significantly advances our understanding of functional (physical), social, psychological, financial and/or civic dimensions of positive aging, on either the individual or community level, and/or enhances the impact of such scientific advances on public policy. This research can be translated into policies and practices designed to enable the achievement and maintenance of health, well-being and independence among older persons, particularly those of vulnerable subpopulations.
Through the generous support of the Retirement Research Foundation and its president, Marilyn Henessey, GHS offers two student research awards. The Retirement Research Foundation Masters Student Research Award recognizes research conducted while a graduate student. Individuals who are currently in doctoral programs, or are in other settings but who completed research as a masters student are eligible to submit an abstract for this award. Similarly the Retirement Research Foundation Doctoral Student Research Award (also known as the Lawrence G. Branch Doctoral Student Research Award), is awarded for research completed as a doctoral student, even if the doctoral degree has recently been completed. For student awards at both levels, GHS/APHA membership will be provided through the award for attendance at the 2010 Annual Meeting. Funding is also available to support conference attendance (e.g., registration).
All awardees are recognized at the GHS Awards session, present their research at the Annual Meeting, receive a monetary award, and are recognized on the GHS Web site.
Each abstract can be considered only for one award. You may, however, submit different abstracts to be considered for different awards. For submission for the Archstone Foundation Award, please contact Allan Goldman for further details at abgoldman@dhr.state.ga.us.
For more information about the individual awards, contact GHS Awards Chair Daniela Friedman, PhD, at dbfriedman@sc.edu or view the GHS Web site.
For questions and inquiries, please contact one of the GHS 2009 Program Planners:
Chair: Ashley Love, DrPH, MPH, MS, State Epidemiologist/Chief, Bureau of Epidemiology, Dept. of Delaware Division of Public Health Jesse Cooper Building
417 Federal St. Dover, DE 19901, Phone: (302) 744-4541
Fax: (302) 739-1503 E-mail: Ashley.love@state.de.us
Co-Chair: Pankaja (PJ) Desai, MPH, MSW, University of Illinois at Chicago, Institute for Health Research & Policy, Center for Research on Health & Aging, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Rm. 558 Chicago, IL 60608, Phone: (312)-355-3174 E-mail: pdesai5@uic.edu
Past Chair: Jan Warren-Findlow, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Public Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, CHHS #427B, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, Phone: (704)687-7908, Fax: (704)687-6122, jwarren1@uncc.edu