APHA's Dr. Benjamin: Welcome to Boston!

Greetings APHA members, partners and friends,

It's my pleasure to welcome you to APHA's 141st Annual Meeting and Exposition! In the past year, APHA staff and members have been hard at work organizing another dynamic and vibrant Annual Meeting. It's never an easy task, but with this year's theme of "Think Global, Act Local," we presented meeting planners with quite the challenge: Seek out the world's best and most promising public health practices and bring them to Boston. This year, we wanted to follow the evidence — beyond borders, across oceans and from continent to continent — and explore how we can adapt these global public health success stories to serve our communities here at home. And I'm proud to say that when this year's meeting officially kicks off on Sunday, a world of public health will be waiting for you.

Speaking of adaptation, there's probably no better — or more urgent time — for public health to flex its adaptability muscles than now. As the Affordable Care Act continues to transform the health care landscape and as millions of Americans gain insurance coverage and access to preventive services, the role of public health is also shifting. Of course, some of our most traditional roles, such as monitoring environmental hazards or investigating disease outbreaks, remain the same. However, there is debate over how direct public health services, such as delivering vaccines or providing health screenings to low-income residents, fit into the new health care puzzle. On top of that, public health still struggles with uncertain, often declining funding levels as well as the overall public awareness of the role public health plays in our lives. These days can be difficult ones for the practice of public health.

But it's hardly all bad. The ACA's landmark Prevention and Public Health Fund and its Community Transformation Grants are rallying communities around chronic disease prevention like never before. New quality improvement opportunities, such as public health accreditation, are pushing agencies to improve efficiency, service delivery and ultimately, people's health. And a growing awareness that good health is intrinsically linked to social determinants such as education, income and geography is helping public health practitioners forge fresh and innovative partnerships and re-charge efforts to eliminate health disparities. Sessions on all of these topics and so much more will take place over the next few days here in Boston, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts as well as your stories from the trenches of local public health.

Every year at the meeting's Opening Session when I look out at the faces of thousands of public health workers, I'm instantly re-energized. It's an incredible reminder that public health truly is everywhere, in every corner of our communities, in every facet of our lives. Public health continues to make the world a better place and I look forward to celebrating those achievements — both big and small — alongside the people who make it happen.

See you in Boston!

Best (and healthy) wishes,

Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E)

Executive Director

American Public Health Association

The social network

Sure, the APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition is known for its science. But there's much more to the world's largest public health gathering than PowerPoint presentations and data-driven discussions.

The Annual Meeting is also a time of celebration, socializing and, yes, having some fun. So here are just a few ways to get your public health party on.

• What's a party without prizes? Stop by APHA's Public Health Awards Reception and Ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center to celebrate the achievements of some the best and brightest in public health (and enjoy some tasty refreshments).

• Want to learn more about APHA's many membership groups and meet folks with similar public health interests? Then check out the many social gatherings and award ceremonies being hosted by APHA's Sections, Special Primary Interest Groups, Forums, Caucuses and the Student Assembly. For example, the Population, Reproductive and Sexual Health Section will host a Meet and Greet & Welcome Reception on Sunday night, the Black Caucus of Health Workers will host a Student Networking Reception on Monday night, and all are welcome to the Ethics SPIG's member meeting on Tuesday night. (There will be a listing of APHA membership group gatherings in the back of the Annual Meeting program that you'll receive in Boston.)

• Make some time in your scientific session schedule to browse the hundreds of booths at the Public Health Expo, a cornucopia of public health goodies and information. The expo, which will officially open its doors in the convention center on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m., is pretty much the public health equivalent of the Mall of America. There'll be schools of public health, public health publishers, state and federal public health agencies, public health product makers, public health nonprofits and advocacy organizations, APHA membership groups and, of course, Everything APHA, where you can browse APHA publications, check out APHA CareerMart, pick up official Annual Meeting souvenirs and much more.

• If there's one tip this blogger has for an Annual Meeting newbie, it's this: Bring comfortable shoes. The APHA meeting is huge, both in content and square feet. Still, you're gonna need a rest, so grab a seat and meet a new friend at the Mix and Mingle Lounge, which will be located in the north lobby of the convention center. (Plus, free WiFi!)

• And for all you folks who'll be capturing your Annual Meeting good times via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other assorted cyberspace social clubs, RSVP for this year's APHA Social Media Meetup hosted by APHA's Social Media Team on Sunday night.

Of course, this year's Annual Meeting is in Boston — a huge, thriving metropolis with tons to keep you entertained after the last PowerPoint presentation of the day. For more on what to see, eat and enjoy in one of the nation's most historic cities, visit the City of Boston.

— K.K.

The password is public health

Ever wondered what would happen if a bunch of public health nerds and computer geeks spent two intense days together furiously developing ideas and writing code to make the nation a healthier, happier place? Well, we've wondered the same thing. 

That's why APHA is calling on programmers, developers, designers as well as public health professionals, advocates and aficionados to join a marathon session of brainstorming and coding for better health. APHA for ACA: A Codeathon to Help Implement the Affordable Care Act is a free, two-day event to bring together programming and public health experts with a goal of developing new apps, platforms and innovations that public health organizations can use to implement the ACA in their communities. The codeathon, which is sponsored by Esri and the California HealthCare Foundation, will begin on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and conclude on Saturday, Nov. 2, when a panel of judges will award prizes to the best, most innovative solutions.

To kick off the codeathon, organizers will offer an overview of the ACA and the challenges to implementation, after which participants can begin networking, sharing ideas and forming teams. Ideas can run the gamut, from developing an app to connect people with local tobacco cessation services to creating a program to increase the uptake of critical preventive health services. It really is a "sky's the limit" kind of event — if your idea will help bring the benefits of the ACA to those most in need, we wanna hear about it. In fact, organizers hope the codeathon will result in ideas and tools that can eventually be brought to market. The codeathon is free and open to all, though registration is required.

After you've invented the next best app for health reform, head over to the new Social Media Lab in the convention center's Southwest Lobby (but first register for the Annual Meeting and then sign up for a time slot here). This year, APHA is teaming up with the folks from AIDS.gov — a leader in the social media world — to offer personalized sessions on how to use social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to reach your public health goals. Participants will get a one-on-one session with social media experts from AIDS.gov or APHA and are encouraged to come to their appointments with some specific questions and ideas in mind. And feel free to stop by the Social Media Lab, which will be open to Annual Meeting registrants on Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to pick up information, inquire about open time slots and join the social media discussion.

APHA not only talks the technology talk, it walks the walk. For the second year, you can download the free APHA Annual Meeting mobile app to your smartphone or tablet. The app lets users search the online meeting program, access session abstracts, peruse the Public Health Expo map, connect with fellow meeting attendees, sync up with APHA's personal scheduler and much more. To download the app, which you can find by searching for "APHA Meeting" in your app store, you must use the same email address you used to register for the Annual Meeting. (Annual Meeting registration is required to use the app.)

Finally, to meet other public health folks as excited about technology and social media as you are, RSVP for Sunday's Social Media Meetup hosted by APHA's Social Media Team.

How will you be using social media at the Boston meeting? Let us know in the comments below!

— K.K.

The ACA at APHA

It's been a big month for the Affordable Care Act.

On the plus side, millions of people are flocking to the Web to use new health insurance marketplaces, which means more Americans will soon have access to life-saving preventive care as well as protection from medical bankruptcy. That's a really big deal. On the not-so-plus side, some congressional lawmakers actually forced a government shutdown over implementation of the ACA, which means the fight for affordable health care is far from over. (Not to mention that the shutdown has meant the shuttering of essential public health services — and here's just one example of what happens when the doors to public health are closed.)

Right now, public health folks have a big role in collecting the data and telling the stories that illustrate the positive difference that the ACA is making and will make in people's lives. (And in true public health fashion, we also have a duty to point out its gaps and call for improvements.) The health reform law is transforming the health care landscape, and its landmark Prevention and Public Health Fund is already doing the same for community health.

So it's no surprise that the ACA will be a popular topic at this year's APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition. In fact, a quick search of the online program or a skim through our supplemental program guide to health reform sessions finds that if you have a passion for health reform, there will soon be no better place to be than the APHA Annual Meeting. Here are just a few of the ACA-related offerings you'll find in Boston:

• On Monday, Nov. 4, researchers will discuss the challenges of tobacco use prevention in an era of health reform.

• What the ACA means for people living with disabilities will be the focus of this presentation on Monday, Nov. 4.

• U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh will present on Monday, Nov. 4, on a key social determinant of health — high school graduation — and the relationship to the ACA.

• This presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 5, will explore the effects of language barriers on enrollment in the ACA-driven Medicaid expansion and state-based health insurance exchange in California.

• Some people may be left out of the ACA's benefits, and this presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 5, will discuss one group at risk: farmworkers and their families.

• Also on Tuesday, Nov. 5, researchers will explore racial and ethnic disparities in the ACA's coverage.

• Two other Tuesday sessions include this one on "ACA navigators and assistors: Opportunities for public health" and this one on "Public health system transformation under the Affordable Care Act."

• And on Wednesday, Nov. 6, John Auerbach, former public health commissioner for Massachusetts, will discuss the role of state public health associations in implementing the ACA.

To start filling out your personal Annual Meeting schedule with ACA offerings, visit the online program or download the app and search for the Affordable Care Act. Or use our handy program guide to health reform sessions to point you in the right direction.

— K.K.

Students, prepare to get schooled

In the field of public health, you never stop learning. Indeed, one could say the public health professional is a perpetual student (but thankfully without the perpetual tuition). However, for the actual public health student — those of you still busy studying for your degree — there's no classroom quite like the APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition.

In addition to the hundreds of scientific sessions, social occasions, and networking and career opportunities planned for this year's meeting in Boston, APHA's very own Student Assembly has been busy creating events especially with the public health student in mind. This year marks the Assembly's 9th Annual National Student Meeting, which will take place a day before the Annual Meeting officially kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The student meeting, which has a theme of "Movin' and Groovin' All Around the World," will feature a variety of topics, including how to become a successful global health professional, the Affordable Care Act and its impact on young people, and how to survive graduate school. To learn more about the National Student Meeting and how to register, click here.

Beyond the National Student Meeting, the Student Assembly hosts a speed mentoring event, a welcome and orientation session, and an evening social mixer. The Assembly also organized a number of scientific sessions, such as "Student Topics in Best Practices Around the World" on Monday, Nov. 4, which will feature discussions about oral health, disparities and cultural competencies, and much more.

Of course, there's also the massive Public Health Expo, which hosts hundreds of booths, many of which may be of particular interest to students. There'll be more than 30 booths representing schools of public health, nearly 20 booths dedicated to health research as well as booths related to just about every discipline within public health, from occupational health and safety to minority health to nutrition. And, of course, don't forget to stop by the Everything APHA section of the Expo, which hosts APHA CareerMart, APHA Press and the Electronic Information Center.

Even if you're not coming to this year's Annual Meeting, there's still an opportunity to check out what you're missing. On the last day of the meeting, on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health hosts a free Student Visit Day at the Public Health Expo to encourage young people to explore careers in public health. To register for the event, click here. 

For more on what the APHA Student Assembly has in store for Boston, visit the online program.

— K.K.

Learning and earning

Officially, APHA's 141st Annual Meeting and Exposition kicks off with the Opening General Session on Sunday, Nov. 3. But why wait 'til then to start learning about the latest and greatest in public health practice? For all you early birds itching to get a head start (AND earn continuing education credits), I've got three words for you: The Learning Institutes.

APHA's Learning Institutes are full- and half-day interactive educational courses that offer insights from some of the best and brightest in the field. The institutes, which run Saturday, Nov. 2, and Sunday, Nov. 3, cover a range of public health topics, from the always popular Epidemiology for Non-Epidemiologists to an institute on how to develop compelling public health research proposals in a time of tight budgets. Here are just a few examples of what's on tap for this year's institutes:

• On Saturday, Nov. 2, APHA will offer this Learning Institute on using storytelling to promote health equity and improve health. The daylong course will bring participants up to date on storytelling intervention research, teach participants how to implement a storytelling-based intervention and offer hands-on practice. The institute will also feature a case study from the Real Latina Mothers Project, an effort to explore the personal experiences of Latina mothers as they navigate the Medicaid system.

• Also on Nov. 2, APHA has organized an institute on how to engage youth in the public health policy process. During the course, the Boston-based nonprofit Health Resources in Action will train participants in youth development and community organizing, youth-adult partnership building and community mobilization. The institute will also feature interactive panels with local youth involved in policy change campaigns, such as the Youth Jobs Coalition and the Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project.

• On Sunday, Nov. 3, APHA will offer its Global Health Institute to bring public health professionals the skills to address global health issues both at home and abroad. During the half-day course, participants will get an overview of the current global public health field and be introduced to the key competencies needed to succeed in the global health arena.

Learning Institutes are not included in the overall Annual Meeting registration fee, but you can sign up for them when you're registering to attend the Boston meeting. Fees as well as the number of CE credits participants can earn vary from institute to institute. In addition to the Learning Institutes, a number of the meeting's regular scientific sessions are also eligible for CE credits — learn more about that here.

To read more about this year's Learning Institutes, visit www.apha.org/meetings/highlights/LearningInstitutes.htm.

— K.K.

Packing our bags for Boston

It's the week after Labor Day, which means it's good-bye summer and hello fall. (Sort of. This blogger is still simmering in 100-degree weather — summer, it seems, is having a hard time sharing the calendar year.) But while we wait for the leaves to turn, hope for the breeze to cool and desperately try to convince ourselves that it's never too early — or too unhealthy — to buy a giant bag of Halloween candy corn, we can keep ourselves busy by preparing for APHA's 141st Annual Meeting and Exposition!

The world's largest gathering of public health professionals officially kicks off in less than two months at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. From Nov. 2–6, thousands of public health folks will descend upon one of our nation's most historic cities to swap best practices, showcase their healthy successes, meet new and old friends, and celebrate the role of public health in making all of our lives better. In fact this year, Annual Meeting organizers are quite literally working to bring the world of public health to Boston. With a meeting theme of "Think Global, Act Local," sessions and activities will zero in on highlighting the best public health practices from around the globe.

For example, ever wonder how to build local awareness around men's health issues and encourage more men to seek out preventive care? Then check out this Nov. 4 session on "Men's health: Thinking globally while acting locally," which will feature perspectives from men's health initiatives in Germany and Australia. Looking for effective ways to incorporate alternative medicine into more traditional medical settings? Consider attending the Nov. 5 session on "Integration of alternative and complementary health practices: Best practices around the world," which will feature experiences from India and Bangladesh. Looking for urban health tips to bring home to your community? Then make time for this Nov. 6 session on "International urban health issues," which will offer a presentation on how youth from around the world perceive violence and its effects on their lives.

These three sessions are just a tiny (and I mean tiny) fraction of the hundreds of scientific sessions and events that will take place during the Boston meeting. There's the Public Health Expo, the great speakers lined up for the Opening and Closing General Sessions, the Public Health Awards Reception and Ceremony, the opportunity to earn continuing education credits, APHA's Public Health CareerMart, the Public Health Film Festival and so much more to look forward to.

To start making sense of it all, visit the online program and take advantage of our handy personal scheduler. Still need to register for this year's public health extravaganza? No problem — click here to receive discounted registration fees, which end Sept. 26.

And to really stay on top of things, connect with APHA's many social media outlets, especially our @PublicHealth and @APHAAnnualMtg Twitter feeds. While you're at it, why not sign up to receive regular updates from this very blog. Your loyal APHA public health bloggers will begin posting more regular updates as we get closer to the meeting and we'll be bringing you all the breaking news and highlights directly from Boston. 


To steal a historically inaccurate, but legendary phrase from Boston's native son — and the city’s first health commissioner — Paul Revere: Public health is coming!

— K.K.

Above photo of the Paul Revere statue located off Boston's famous Freedom Trail courtesy the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau

Why wait? Register now!

Who doesn't like to save a few pennies? Especially when it comes to the largest gathering of public health professionals in the world — APHA's 141st Annual Meeting!

I know, I know...it seems like we just wrapped up last year's Annual Meeting in San Francisco. But when it comes to the Annual Meeting, with its hundreds of scientific sessions and more than 13,000 expected attendees, it's never too early to get a head start. So click on over to the Annual Meeting site, where registration and housing are now open for this year's meeting, which takes place Nov. 2–6 in Boston. And early-bird savings are in effect now through Aug. 22.

This year's Annual Meeting theme is "Think Global, Act Local," with a focus on best practices around the world. Meeting sessions will highlight some of the most innovative and creative public health interventions from across the globe. Of course, the meeting will also offer sessions from every discipline within public health, celebrations and social gatherings, special speakers, social media meet-ups, poster sessions and so much more. Just a couple of this year's notable presenters include Opening Session speakers Sarah Weddington, who argued Roe v. Wade before the Supreme Court, and internationally acclaimed epidemiologist Michael Marmot.

And keep checking back here at APHA's official Meetings Blog for more updates in the coming months. Or you can just sign up to automatically receive email updates from us. How easy is that?

Visit APHA today for info on registration, housing, travel, continuing education and everything else you need to know to get ready for another jam-packed Annual Meeting.

See you in Boston!