Conference Goal

The goal of the 20th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control is to advance the development of healthy communities and eliminate health disparities by—

• Celebrating two decades of extraordinary progress against chronic diseases and drawing on this success to accelerate progress for the next 20 years.
   
• Heightening awareness of the importance of chronic disease prevention, health promotion, and health equity at the national, state, territorial, tribal, and community levels, and building urgency for action.
   
• Promoting innovations in science translation, policy, community interventions, health communication and education, and information science that support health-enhancing environments.
   
• Fostering multidisciplinary, multisectoral, and participatory approaches to put prevention principles into practice, especially by engaging communities experiencing the greatest health-related disparities.

Conference Objectives

By the end of this conference, participants will—

• Identify at least two major policies and environmental changes that have had significant impact on public health advances in cultivating healthy communities and in reducing population-level morbidity, mortality, and/or health-related disparities during the past 20 years.
   
• Describe at least two major disease prevention and health promotion challenges facing the nation over the next 20 years and describe potential solutions to those challenges at the national, state, territorial, tribal, and/or local levels.
   
• Explain at least two new or emerging innovations in prevention science, policies, community interventions, health communication and education programs, or information science that can be applied in participants’ states or local communities in the next year that will promote healthy behaviors and/or health-enhancing community environments.
   
• Commit to advancing one or more of the Conference Calls to Action.

Conference Tracks

Abstract submissions and proposals for special sessions will select a primary track and address questions such as those below. Preference for oral presentations will be given to abstracts that address cross-cutting issues such as workforce development, active engagement of communities, and integration of multiple risk and protective behaviors.

Health Policy

How can we ensure that prevention policy plays a key role in health system reform? How are communities using policy solutions to address social determinants of health? How can we better make the case to policy makers for increased and sustained support of disease prevention and health promotion? What are the implications of the electronic medical record for public health surveillance, intervention, and ethics?

Health Equity and Disparities Elimination

How can we ensure progress in eliminating health disparities through effective science and practices to improve the quality of life for all? What are the data needs for developing and evaluating interventions to eliminate health disparities?

Effective Interventions

What have we learned and how are we building on the design, integration, and implementation of effective interventions to prevent disease and promote health, especially those using community-based participatory strategies? What are current and novel examples of effective individual, community, environmental, and life-stage interventions? What areas are in greatest need of innovative technologies for data collection and intervention delivery? How can we best measure the success of our work? What are communities doing to coordinate and leverage their efforts in categorical disease and risk-factor programs to improve the overall health of communities?

Translation of Science to Practice

How can we translate scientific knowledge to real-life applications? How can we develop both evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence? How can we better communicate science to make a difference in people’s lives? How can we improve health literacy through existing and new information and communication technologies?

New Frontiers in Practices and Partnerships

How can we engage and partner with critical sectors — especially nontraditional sectors such as agriculture, transportation, and economic development — to expand and integrate models and practices for disease prevention, health promotion, and health equity? What advances in health communication, health information systems, and emerging health issues; such as, mental health, alcohol, sleep, and arthritis hold the greatest promise for improving the health of communities? How do we most effectively bundle messages and tools for individuals, organizations, and communities?

Page last reviewed: May 8, 2008
Page last modified: July 22, 2008
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion