Learning curves

“…OK, so you have to do the math.”

“That’s an interesting question…”

“What’s the denominator?”

Nope, APHA wasn’t hosting math tutorials Saturday. At least not the kind of math tutorials you remember from high school.

Instead, a wide range of public health professionals were sitting at round tables during one of the APHA Annual Meeting’s Learning Institutes, working their way through a series of questions from their instructor, Joy Nanda, DSc, MS, MHS, MBA.

Nanda has taught Epidemiology for Nonepidemiologists (Learning Institute 1004) before, but this year he has tweaked the two-day program to allow time for more collaboration between students.

And so after a morning of lectures and PowerPoint slides on everything from the Greek roots of the word “epidemiology” (literally “the study of epidemics”) to the relationship between incidence and prevalence, participants put their heads together to see what they learned.

For one question, students were told to suppose they were epidemiologists in Kenya studying the effects of tuberculosis on health. There had been 28,142 new cases of TB in the last year, and the population at risk was 29,137,000. What, Nanda wanted to know, is the incidence rate of TB per 100,000? And furthermore, what other outcomes should the epidemiologists measure?

Nanda said about 20 percent of the students in this class, which is one of the most popular Learning Institutes, are physicians. Others are public health practitioners, students and psychologists. Once, he taught the dean of a school of public health who was looking to be able to hold his own in conversations with epidemiologists, Nanda said. Others just want to brush up on skills they learned years ago.

“What you’re going to get in these two days is to see what epidemiologists do and what is it about and how it is relevant,” Nanda told the group of about 60.

Nearly 600 people registered for APHA’s 19 Learning Institutes, held this Saturday and Sunday. Topics ranged from an introduction to mathematical modeling to how to support faculty, graduate students and post-docs so they can succeed as community-engaged scholars.

Courses range from $25 to $340, and participants can earn up to six continuing education credit hours.

Rae Starr, MPhil, a biostatistician from Los Angeles, is attending his second Annual Meeting and his second Learning Institute.

“It’s an effective way to get training,” he said, explaining that it makes more economic sense to seek training at a conference he’s already attending than to try to find training elsewhere, which might require another plane flight and hotel stay.

He said he chooses carefully when taking CE courses, looking for instructors with impressive credentials to determine whether it will be a “high quality” experience.

Did you participate in APHA's Learning Institutes? Let us know what you thought in the comments section.

— C.T.

A little birdie told me so: Tweet of the day

To show our social media thanks to those of you using the Twitter hashtag #apha11, we'll be posting a Tweet of the Day today through Wednesday.

Today's shout-out goes to Twitterer (is that a word?) BlondeScientist, who tweeted: Let the games begin! On my way to #APHA11!

In case of spare time

Asian fusion, Cuban fare, upscale sandwiches, an honest burger, vegetarian delights and a cornucopia of U.S. history. There might be as many places to eat and sightsee within walking distance of the Washington Convention Center as there are APHA-ers.

One of this blogger’s favorite places in the universe is the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden, so when the weather clears, head over to Constitution and 7th Street and see what you think. The National Mall itself is 15 minutes away on foot or an easy Metro ride to the Smithsonian station. The National Building Museum is even closer at 5th and G streets.

The National Portrait Gallery at F and 7th streets is another local favorite; the International Spy Museum is across the street at 800 F St.; and the famed Ford’s Theatre is at 511 10th St. Has anybody been to the National Museum of Crime and Punishment at the corner of F and 6th streets?

Foodwise, the closest grocery store is Safeway at 490 L St. Local eateries run from the basic (Five Guys burgers and fries near 9th and L streets) to the entertaining (wear a costume to Cuba Libre’s Mischief Halloween Party tonight at 801 9th St. and receive reduced admission, but the dancing doesn’t start until 11 p.m.). Asia Spice at 8th and H streets near the Chinatown arch has a reputation for great food and their Halloween decorations include a giant, sparkly spiderweb in the front entrance. A local Washingtonian said 901 at 901 Ninth St. has a “nice atmosphere cocktail hour,” and other recommendations include Busboys and Poets at 5th and K streets, where quite a few APHA-related receptions are scheduled this week; the Korean restaurant Mandu, on K Street between 4th and 5th; and for tasty vegetarian options as well as freshly carved turkey sandwiches and salads, Café Phillips at 7th and K streets.

By the way, did you know two corners of the Washington Convention Center are points one and two of the 17-point Shaw Heritage Trail? Each point features an informational sign delving into the rich history of this part of the city. Consider this excerpt from the sign at point two:

“Over time, the shops of Seventh and Ninth streets became a bargain-rate alternative to downtown’s fancy department stores. There were juke joints, Irish saloons, storefront evangelists, delicatessens, and dozens of schools and houses of worship.”

Those of you who’d like to explore a bit more of the city might consider Capital Bikeshare, which also has a Spotcycle mobile app for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices to pinpoint more than 100 stations across the city to pick up and drop off bicycles, and there’s a station just outside the convention center at 7th and M streets. Buy a 24-hour Bikeshare membership for $5 or a five-day membership for $15. Trip costs vary depending on the duration.

One indoor exercise option is The Bar Method D.C. at 750 9th St., NW. Pay $10 for your first, one-hour class, then $24 per class after that. Though Esquire magazine said, “The Bar Method employs killer muscle-building poses,” so one class might suffice.

Anyone else know of some good local spots to visit? Let us know in the comments section!

— D.C.

Above, some very damp Bikeshare bicycles waiting to be taken out for a ride. Photo by Donya Currie

Welcome to Washington, D.C.!

Well, today's weather may be frightful, but the public health energy inside the convention center is quickly warming things up. And, hey, that donkey sure looks happy to see us!

Sculptures of D.C.'s ubiquitous donkey and elephant symbols inside the cozy Washington Convention Center. Photo by Donya Currie

Decisions, decisions

It's about this time that you're probably starting to organize your schedule for the upcoming APHA 139th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. (Or if you're more like me, the situation is better described with the words "freak out about" instead of "organize.") There's just so much great stuff going on. In fact, there's more going on than you might think....

A FEW GOOD HIGHLIGHTS

— Chemical reactions: On Saturday, Oct. 29, APHA will host "Public Health and Chemical Exposures in the 21st Century: Moving from Conversation to Action," a strategy session focused on recommendations included in "Addressing Public Health and Chemical Exposures: An Action Agenda." The interactive session will feature remarks from Dr. Christopher Portier, director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, as well as Nsedu Witherspoon, executive director of the Children's Environmental Health Network. The session runs from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Renaissance Hotel, which is right across the street from the Washington Convention Center. RSVP for the session at nationalconversation@cdc.gov.

— Book 'em: APHA Press will be hosting a number of book signings at the Everything APHA booth inside the Public Health Expo. A few of the notable authors that will be on hand include former Sen. Tom Daschle, author of “Getting It Done," on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.; longtime APHA member Linda Landesman, author of "Public Health Management of Disasters, Third Edition," on Sunday from 2 to 2:30 p.m. and Monday from noon to 12:30 p.m.; and UCLA professor Richard Jackson, author of "Designing Healthy Communities," on Monday at 10:15 a.m. APHA staff will also be around to answer your questions about publishing with APHA Press.

— Job hunt: APHA's Public Health CareerMart will be offering one-on-one career coaching sessions for Annual Meeting attendees at booth 3051 in the Public Health Expo. For more info or to reserve a spot, click here.

— Bliss out: Take a minute to relax at the Annual Meeting's newest gathering place, the PHocal Point, which will be located on the third floor of the Washington Convention Center. Check out the meditation room, get a massage and then capture your newly blissed out face in the PHun Photos area. Click here for a schedule.

— Walk the walk: APHA's Physical Activity Special Primary Interest Group is encouraging people to take advantage of Mobile Adventure Walks during the Annual Meeting as well as participate in a competition between APHA Sections and SPIGs. A Mobile Adventure Walk is a free iPhone app that turns walking into a game, giving participants clues to solve to uncover the next stop on the walking route. The walks can be done on one's own or with a partner. A group adventure walk will take place on Halloween night at 8 p.m. Stop by the Physical Activity SPIG's booth at the Public Health Expo for more info.

— Just tweet it: Social media! It's everywhere! You can't escape! Good thing too, because it's also one of the best ways to keep track of what's going on, catch up on what you missed and keep the conversation going well after the day is done. APHA's social media team will be blogging (yup, from this very blog...so subscribe for free daily updates!), tweeting from APHA's Annual Meeting and Public Health Twitter feeds, posting to Facebook, showing off your pearly smiles on APHA's Flickr page and uploading videos to APHA's YouTube Channel. Click here for all the social media details. If you'll be tweeting from the meeting, don't forget to use hashtag #apha11. And feel free to upload your pics to APHA's Flickr Pool.

For more details on this year's happenings, visit APHA's Annual Meeting site as well as the online meeting program.

Make some noise!

"They need to hear you and they need to fear you."

— Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm during her opening session presentation at APHA's 2011 Midyear Meeting in Chicago this past June

First, let me give you a little context for the above quote. It came near the end of an energizing speech about Granholm's experience as a legislator and her frustrations with the U.S. health care system. She urged the public health audience to help stage an intervention in the name of social justice and to hold policy-makers accountable for decisions that undercut the opportunities for good health and well-being. She was quite adamant, in fact. Let your voice be known among the decision-makers, she said, "they need to hear you and they need to fear you." Sounds like a call to action to this blogger and what better place than Washington, D.C., to put words into action.

During this year's Annual Meeting in the nation's capital, consider taking a trip to the halls of Congress and advocating on behalf of public health. APHA has all the tips and info you need for a fruitful visit with your member of Congress. Go to APHA's Annual Meeting Hill Visits site to view a webinar about setting up and attending visits on Capitol Hill; download a sample email that you can use to request a meeting with your representative; print out fact sheets on a variety of public health issues that you can leave with your representative and use as talking points; and take a peek at APHA's 2010 congressional voting record to see how your representative voted on key public health legislation. After your hill meeting, take a minute to answer our survey and let us know how it went.

Still a little nervous about a one-on-one visit? Check out Annual Meeting session 177 on Sunday, Oct. 30, which will focus on "Training for Hill Visits on APHA Priorities." And take advantage of APHA's Advocacy Track at the Annual Meeting for all you need to know to keep the advocacy train running year round (see the handy graphic below).

As many of you know, it's a pivotal time for public health in America and our voices can make a difference. Lawrence Wallack, dean of Portland State University's College of Urban and Public Affairs, said it much better during his closing session presentation at APHA's 2011 Midyear Meeting: "Each of us needs to speak our values so that others understand that our well-being is rooted in the community."

How about it readers? Ready to raise your voice?

P.S. Grab some unsalted popcorn and check out Granholm's and Wallack's entire speeches on APHA's YouTube channel. There's nothing like a good speech to get the advocacy sparks flyin'!

Let the countdown begin...

The August heat is finally starting to let up and soon summer will wave goodbye. Kids are returning to school, families are squeezing in one last trip to the beach and soon this blogger will no longer be able to defend flip-flops as formal wear. But that's okay because it also means that the world's oldest and largest gathering of public health professionals is right around the corner!

It's that time of year again, folks. Time to get ready (and pumped!) for APHA's 139th Annual Meeting and Exposition, which will take place Oct. 29–Nov. 2 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., just a stone's throw from APHA headquarters. This year's meeting theme is "Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds & Bodies." It's quite the timely focus as public health practitioners nationwide engage in new health reform-related opportunities to improve community health and continue their efforts to transform all communities into places that support and encourage healthy choices.

As always, the meeting's hundreds of scientific sessions will cover the public health spectrum, with offerings for every public health discipline. Along with learning about the latest and greatest in public health efforts, research and advocacy, Annual Meeting attendees can take part in a variety of social and networking events, earn continuing education credits, get career advice, cheer on colleagues during APHA's annual awards ceremony, mix and mingle with new and old pals, and peruse the 700 booths at the meeting's Public Health Exposition. And after your last session of the day (if you're not too exhausted from the public health-palooza that is the APHA Annual Meeting), you can avail yourself of Washington, D.C.'s impressive national treasures, culinary delights and diverse neighborhoods.

Some great speakers are lined up for this year's gathering as well. The meeting's opening session will feature addresses from former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle; Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service; and Pamela Hyde, administrator of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The meeting's closing session will focus on "The case for workplace health and safety: 100 years after the Triangle Fire" and will feature David Michaels, U.S. assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, among other speakers.

The APHA Annual Meeting is a buzzing hive of activities — in fact, saying there's a lot going on is seriously an understatement. But, no worries. APHA's social media team is here to help. Just like public health, we'll be everywhere, all the time, blogging, tweeting, facebooking (is that a word?), snapping photos and taking videos to keep you in the loop. This very blog will be back for its fifth year to bring you all the public health news that's fit to print. In fact, you should start following APHA's Annual Meeting Twitter today for regular updates and tips on meeting activities. The meeting hashtag is #apha11.

Visit the APHA Annual Meeting site for all the details, including registration and housing info, the online program and personal program scheduler, D.C. travel tips and much, much more.

See ya in the nation's capital!

P.S. As you've probably noticed, this year's APHA Annual Meeting takes place during Halloween. Anyone out there planning a public health-themed costume? Let us know in the comments section. Trick or (nutritious) treat!

Let's talk community

Your trusty APHA meeting bloggers are back and gearing up for an exciting Annual Meeting.

The 139th APHA Annual Meeting, which will take place Oct. 29–Nov. 2 just a few blocks from APHA headquarters in Washington, D.C., will welcome thousands of public health practitioners from around the nation and the world. This year's meeting, which has a theme of "Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds & Bodies," will offer hundreds of scientific sessions and the opportunity to learn about today's cutting-edge public health efforts. Believe me, you don't wanna miss it. Visit APHA for all the details as well as registration and housing info.

More updates are coming, so check back here soon! And click here to sign up to have free blog updates sent directly to your email account. How easy is that?