Call for Abstracts

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS CLOSES AT 12:00 PM ON MAY 10th, 2024

This year’s Public Health in the Rockies (PHiR)Conference will utilize Elevating Rocky Mountain Health as a guiding theme. This theme invites public health professionals from all focus areas to share their work and present on community health needs, both current and future.PHiR focuses on advancing the work of the Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA) to transform the health and well-being of Coloradans, providing the public health community–both individuals and organizations–a home, a forum, networks and opportunities to participate and collaborate in our core areas of work.

PHiR is one of the ways CPHA continues to promote science, highlight the breadth of public health work, support our workforce working toward a more equitable future, and share more about our journey to become an Anti-Racist Organization. Ending racism is essential to creating that future, and is a consistent and enduring focus in the public health work we do. 

Public Health in the Rockies will take place at Keystone Conference Center, September 24-26, 2024. 

The purpose of the PHiR Conference is to provide an opportunity for education, networking and skill development of professionals in Colorado, and neighboring regions.  PHiR is designed to build a more competent public health workforce while offering  networking opportunities for students and established Public Health professionals. Your submission should reflect CPHA’s formal commitment to health equity. 

CPHA defines health equity to be the active assurance that everyone is afforded the opportunities essential to attaining their highest level of health.

In our ongoing effort to recognize the impact of bias on our work and participation, we will not use any photos submitted with an application in consideration of abstracts. We ask that photos and bios are uploaded with the abstract to more efficiently collect presenter materials before the conference.

SESSION INFORMATION:

The PHiR Planning Committee invites abstract submissions from a person or organization wishing to present a:

• Program/Research “Showcase” Session (30 minutes)
• Program/Research “Showcase” Session (1 hour)
• Emerging Leader Showcase Presentation (1 hour session)
• Skill building Session (2 hours)
• Poster Session

All Submissions Should Include:

• How the poster/presentation relates to at least one of the following Colorado’s Core Public Health Services and Foundational Capabilities:

Foundational Capabilities:

• Assessment and Planning

• Communications
• Policy Development and Support
• Partnerships
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Organizational Competencies
• Health Equity and the Social Determinants of Health

Foundational Services:

• Communicable Disease Prevention, Investigation and Control
• Environmental Public Health
• Maternal, Child, Adolescent and Family Health
• Chronic Disease, Injury Prevention, and Behavioral Health Promotion
• Access to and Linkage with Health Care
• How the presentation/poster relates to the theme of the conference – Elevating Rocky Mountain Health. Focus your poster/presentation on what you have accomplished and how you will move forward. Describe your next steps and plans for future work.

SUBMISSION OPTIONS:

• Program/Research Showcase Session (30 minutes): These short (30 minutes) Program/Research Showcase Sessions are intended to provide attendees with a quick synopsis of a public health program or relevant research. Presenters should plan on a presentation of no more than 20 minutes to allow time for audience questions and answers.  
• Program/Research Showcase Session (1 hour): 1 hour Program/Research Showcase Sessions are intended to provide attendees with in-depth presentation and discussion opportunities, featuring a successful practice, program, or research on key issues. This session differs from a 30 minute Program/Research Showcase Session in that presenters are expected to engage participants in interactive learning activities and discussions. Presenters should plan to leave a total of at least 15 minutes for interactive discussion between the audience and panel members. 
• Emerging Leader Showcase Presentation (1 hour): This will be a combination of 4 different abstracts with a 10-12 minute presentation for each with time for questions afterward. First-time presenters are highly encouraged to apply and will be prioritized. Applicants selected for presentations in the showcase will receive a one-day only scholarship to attend the conference. All other expense including travel and lodging will be the responsibility of the recipient.
• Skill-building Session (2 hours): Skill-building or workshop sessions are intended to teach a specific skill needed by public health professionals and include one or more exercises that let attendees practice using this skill. Attendees should begin to develop a skill that is important for public health. This session differs from a Program/Research Showcase Session in that attendees will have a hands-on opportunity to practice the skill versus a lecture-based session. Abstracts should clearly describe how presenters plan to provide and engage participants in the hands-on learning opportunity. Please note – there are only 6 available skill building session slots. 
• Poster Session: Poster Sessions are intended to provide a graphic presentation of program or research findings by displaying graphs, photos, diagrams and descriptive text. The authors will then hold discussions with the registrants who are circulating among the poster boards during the designated poster session time frame. The presenter should remain by their poster board for the duration of the one hour session to answer questions.

Please Note: Acceptance to present requires all in-person presenters to register and pay to attend the conference.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Complete and submit the online form; one submission per presentation. You will be able to stop and complete your abstract submission at a later time. Please ensure the abstract is submitted completely, indicated by a completion message and abstract submission summary email sent immediately following the submission. The lead presenter will receive a confirmation of receipt. Once submitted, revisions to abstracts cannot be accepted. Late submissions will not be accepted. Communications will be directed to the lead presenter only.  

Your abstract submission must clearly state:

• Presentation Title
• Presenters (up to 6, one lead and 5 co-presenters) and Contact Information (Name, job title or role (e.g., student), organization, address, phone number, email address, and headshot)  *All communication regarding presentations will be sent to the lead presenter only.
• Lead Presenter’s and Additional Presenters’ Biographies and Credentials (word limit 500)
• Preferred Session Format (30 or 60 minute Program/Research Showcase, Skill-Building, Poster)
• Learning Objectives of Session (up to 3). Describe, in measurable terms using a behavioral verb (such as discuss, explain, compare, assess, design), what attendees will be able to do following participation in the session. The learning objectives should provide a clear focus for your session. Words to avoid: understand, know, learn. Refer to the SOPHE guidance document to craft strong learning objectives.
• Abstract Text:
  • Program/Research Showcase Sessions: In 300 words or less, clearly describe how your submission is relevant to public health professionals and to the theme of the conference. Include the following information:
    • Background / Purpose: Present main research questions, hypothesis, needs.
    • Methods: Include descriptions of participants, procedures, instrumentation, data analysis, or the equivalent.
    • Results: Include the results of any research related to the presentation.
    • Implications: Clearly present the “take home messages” you want participants to leave with.
    • If requesting a 1 hour session, explain why you request an additional 30 minutes for your session AND how you plan to facilitate attendee interaction and discussion.  
  • Skill-Building Sessions: In 500 words or less, clearly describe the purpose or need for the skill-building session, content that will be covered, how the session supports best practices and skill-development related to public health, and why the session is relevant to public health professionals and the theme of the conference. You will be required to answer follow-up questions to describe the instructional methodologies that will be utilized to support skill development during the session (e.g., small group discussion, role play, etc.) and how to measure the skills developed. 
  • Emerging Leader Showcase:
    – First-time presenters are highly encouraged to apply and will be prioritized
    – Current students who are interested in public health and/or pursuing a degree
    – Early career professionals who have been practicing in the field for less than 5 years
    Considerations:
     – Only 4 abstracts will be accepted for this session.
    – Applicants selected for presentations in the showcase will receive a one-day only scholarship to attend the conference. All other expense including travel and lodging will be the responsibility of the recipient.
    – Applicants may submit abstract proposals based on work completed in graduate/undergraduate courses.
  • Poster Sessions: In 300 words or less, clearly describe why your submission is relevant to public health professionals and the theme of the conference––as you consider what you have accomplished, how will you move forward? What are your hopes for this work in the future?  Include the following information in your poster submission:
    • Background / Purpose: Present main research questions, hypothesis, needs.
    • Methods: Include descriptions of participants, procedures, instrumentation, data analysis, or the equivalent.
    • Results: Results presented in the poster can be preliminary, incomplete (in process of data collection), and can include anticipated or speculated results.
    • Implications: Clearly present the “take home messages” from your investigation as it relates to public health.
• Please check one of the boxes below to indicate the main track of your session. This is not an exhaustive list so please try to match it to the closest option. All submissions should include the public health focus of your proposed presentation. This information will help us ensure that your abstract is assigned to a knowledgeable reviewer. This information also helps us more efficiently create a program where consecutive sessions complement each other and facilitate discussion. It also helps us avoid scheduling concurrent sessions with a similar focus that might compete with each other.
  • Behavioral and Mental Health
  • Chronic and Infectious Diseases
  • Community Health Planning and Policy Development
  • Environmental Health
  • Health Education and Promotion
  • Substance Use and Injury Control
  • Workforce and Professional Development
  • Underserved Populations 
  • Rural Communities
  • Other, not specified
• Brief Description of Session for Conference program (3-5 sentences)
• Level of Session Content/Skill Level
  • Introductory
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
• How the presentation relates to Colorado’s Core Public Health Services and Foundational Capabilities: Must select at least one.

Foundational Capabilities:

• Assessment and Planning
• Communications
• Policy Development and Support
• Partnerships
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Organizational Competencies
• Health Equity and the Social Determinants of Health

Foundational Services:

• Communicable Disease Prevention, Investigation and Control
• Environmental Public Health
• Maternal, Child, Adolescent and Family Health
• Chronic Disease, Injury Prevention, and Behavioral Health Promotion
• Access to and Linkage with Health Care

• Audio/Visual Needs
• Special accommodations for presenter(s)/presentation

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS CLOSES AT 12:00 PM ON MAY 10th, 2024