Intergrating Prevention Science and Public Policy Conference Call for Papers

Additional Information:
http://www.preventionresearch.org/2015-annual-meeting/call-for-papers/

Description:
Date: May 26-29, 2015
Washington D.C.
Deadline for submission: November 7, 2014

The Society for Prevention Research (SPR) is dedicated to promoting global health and well-being, and the SPR annual meeting provides an opportunity for scientists, practitioners, advocates, administrators, and policy makers from around the world to exchange ideas and discuss strategies to achieve this goal.

This year’s conference theme, “Integrating Prevention Science and Public Policy,” offers the opportunity to consider the intersection of prevention science and policy in settings around the world. This theme emphasizes the value of a mutually supportive dialogue that addresses ways prevention science can effectively contribute to advancing evidence-based policy, and opportunities for policy issues to drive a pragmatic science agenda. Both researchers and policymakers have long suggested that high-quality research could and should be used to inform and shape policies and practice. The policy context can also serve as an important driver of applied research to provide empirical answers and data-driven information to address policy questions. Over the last several years, there have been exciting developments in both public and private investments in identifying solutions that work and making them work for more people. For example, initiatives such as the Social Innovation Fund seek “new ways to solve old problems that are faster, cost-effective, data-driven and lead to better results for the public good.” Additionally, major shifts in health policy driven by the Affordable Care Act provide opportunities to conduct research to advance prevention in a changing health service context. The intent of this conference theme is to foster discussion regarding how and under what conditions research is used to inform policies and practices and how policy priorities shape what researchers study. Discussions regarding the strength of evidence and “what works,” emerging science of studying how evidence can more effectively inform policy, cost-benefit considerations, and strategies for scaling programs to make deep and broad impact are central to this topic. Importantly, this conference theme will encourage knowledge sharing about the science at all levels of integration of prevention science and public policy including cutting edge strategies and models for evidence-based policy and policy-informed science.

The SPR Program Committee invites submissions for the conference that fit within this broad theme as well as the related special themes described below. We will also consider proposals that focus on the core areas of interest to SPR, the general themes including research related to epidemiology and etiology, development and testing of interventions, implementation and dissemination strategies, and innovative methods and statistics (see below). Submissions are encouraged from researchers and policy makers at all stages of their career and from varied backgrounds including public health, population health, education, human services, criminal justice, medical and bio-behavioral sciences, genetics, developmental science, and social science.