URISA's Second GIS in Public Health Conference

Conference Vision: To provide an open and participatory forum for advancing the effective use of spatial information and geographic information system technologies across the domains of public health, healthcare and community health preparedness.

We invite you to share your knowledge and ideas with your colleagues and peers. You are encouraged to submit an abstract for consideration by the Conference Program Committee. The Committee will organize an educational program based upon the abstracts submitted through this Call for Participation. All abstract submissions, received by December 5, 2008, will be reviewed and considered for this comprehensive educational program.

The Program Committee encourages you to submit abstracts in one or more of the following general categories (examples of topics within each category are included). The committee invites examples of GIS and spatial analysis in these various areas, including case studies, empirical analysis, etc.

All-Hazard Preparedness and Disaster Response

• Bioterrorism and agroterrorism issues
• Interagency cooperation and data sharing
• Data standards and interoperability
• Lessons learned
• Strategic National Stockpile
• Public health preparedness

Environmental Health

• Lead in soil and houses
• Brownfields
• Water quality, septic systems and wells
• Underground storage tank facilities
• Radiation and nuclear power
• Environmental exposure assessment
• Beach monitoring
• Environmental public health tracking
• Environmental justice

Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology

• Food-related outbreaks -- Salmonella and E coli
• Outbreak epidemiology, disease cluster identification and response
• Infectious diseases – e.g. Avian Influenza, measles, Dengue Fever
• International issues and travel medicine
• Cancer, nervous system disorders and other chronic disease
• Aging populations and disabilities
• Injuries prevention
• Nutrition and access to foods
• Wildlife and animal health and vector-borne illness
• Disease atlases

Hospitals and Healthcare

• Facilities management and siting
• Healthcare resources and services delivery
• Patient tracking
• Identification of underserved populations
• Medical/Clinical Research
• Nosocomial and antibiotic-resistant infections

Healthy Communities and Social Factors in Health

• Urban air quality and asthma
• Obesity and urban spaces
• Census demographics
• Health disparities and race
• Land use change and health
• Community Health Status Assessment

Maternal and Child Health

• Infant and child mortality
• Birth outcomes
• Access to social services
• WIC and other social programs
• Immunizations
• Domestic violence
• Fertility and multiple births

Public Policy and Health Advocacy

• Community involvement
• Legal issues
• Planning and health
• Public participation GIS
• Data confidentiality, ethics and privacy
• Health and Human Services

Models, Methods and Spatial Data Infrastructure

• Predictive and statistical spatial models
• Spatial statistics and disease clusters
• Survey-based data (NHIS, BRFSS, PRAMS)
• GIS implementation in public health
• Geocoding and data accuracy
• Public health linkages in the broader geospatial world
• Multi-level modeling
• Web-based delivery of health data and applications

Selection Criteria

The following items must be explicitly addressed for an abstract submission to be considered:
a. Basic Theme: Is the presentation about a project, a system application activity, a methodology, or the evaluation of a technology? Does it address the technical, policy or organizational aspect of the subject?

b. Value of the Subject: The presentation’s scope and originality must be of interest to a significant number of expected conference attendees. Your proposal should indicate which audience segment would be most interested in your presentation and what will be learned from the presentation.

Please note:

a. Presentations that market specific products and services will not be accepted, nor are presentations of this nature acceptable at the conference. Case studies should be presented by the sponsoring organization, not by vendors.

b. All abstract submissions are due on or before December 5, 2008.

c. Abstracts should be no more than 250 words in length and should not include figures nor tables.

d. If accepted, expect to provide a full paper for publication in the Conference Proceedings no later than June 26, 2009. (The Proceedings will be distributed after the conference)

e. All accepted presenters must register at the regular conference registration fee.

Presentation Format

Four presentation formats will be considered:

Single presentation – Each presenter is allotted 20 minutes, plus 10 minutes for questions. Presentations of this type will be scheduled with two other presentations to form a cohesive session of 90 minutes in length.

Complete session – Comprised of three individual presentations, SUBMITTED TOGETHER, with a common theme. A complete session is 90 minutes in length.

Panel – A 90 minute presentation which encourages interaction and discussion between the panelists and the audience. Panel presentations should include at least three panelists all speaking on different aspects of a particular topic.

Poster presentation – Those accepted for presentation within the poster session will prepare posters for display within the exhibition and will be asked to be prepared to discuss their presentations informally with conference attendees during assigned times during the conference.

Presenter’s Calendar

Abstract Submissions Due: Submission is now closed
Confirmation of Speaker Participation due to URISA: March 8, 2009
Conference: June 5-8, 2009
Paper/Presentation Due for Conference Proceedings: June 26, 2009

Preliminary Conference Schedule

Friday, June 5, 2009

• Preconference Workshops

Saturday, June 6, 2009

• Keynote address
• Concurrent educational sessions
• Exhibition
• Reception

Sunday, June 7, 2009

• General session
• Concurrent educational sessions
• Exhibition
• Conference networking event

Monday, June 8, 2009

• Concurrent educational sessions
• Closing plenary session
  

For budgeting purposes —
Conference Location: Westin Providence
Conference Hotel Rate: $149 single / double
Early Registration Rates: URISA Member: $295; Nonmember: $395
Preconference Workshops: Member Rate $195; Nonmember Rate: $245

Note: All accepted presenters must register and pay the regular conference registration fee. Acceptance as a presenter does not register you for the conference — registration fees are required.

The conference preliminary program and registration form will be available by March 27, 2009.

 Abstract Submission Deadline: CLOSED

The program committee is currently evaluating the abstracts.  We will accept late abstracts to the extent that they can be fit into the program.
Please contact Pat Francis for additional information.