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GENERAL INFORMATION
Please join us for the 14th Annual
Meeting of the Society for Prevention
Research in historic and charming
San Antonio, TX, USA. This year's
program will be held Wednesday,
May 31 — Friday, June 2,
2006, at the Hyatt Regency San
Antonio on the Riverwalk. Don't
miss this opportunity to meet
and mingle with more than 700
researchers from around the country
at the premier meeting for prevention
science! If you register by April
10, 2006, you will receive the
discounted early registration
rate.
Venue
The 14th Annual Meeting of the
Society for Prevention Research
will be held from Wednesday, May
31 – Friday, June 2, 2006.
All Annual Meeting sessions and
events will take place in the
Hyatt Regency San Antonio located
at 123 Losoya, San Antonio, TX
78205. For information on San
Antonio, TX visit the San Antonio
Convention and Visitors Association
website at http://www.sanantoniocvb.com.
Meeting
Objectives and Program Overview
The Society for Prevention Research
is an international organization
focused upon the advancement of
science-based prevention programs
and policies through empirical
research. The membership of the
organization includes scientists,
practitioners, advocates, administrators,
and policy makers who are concerned
with the prevention of social,
physical and mental health problems
and the promotion of health, safety,
and well-being.
The
meeting seeks to present the latest
in prevention science from across
international regions in the areas
of epidemiology, etiology, preventive
intervention trials, demonstration
projects, policy research, natural
experiments, program evaluations,
clinical trials, prevention-related
basic research, pre-intervention
studies, efficacy and effectiveness
trials, population trials, and
studies of the diffusion/dissemination
of science-based prevention.
The
conference theme, “Applying
Prevention Science to Reduce Health
Disparities”, is meant
to be comprehensive.
Special
Topic Themes for 2006
Health
Disparities
This year’s conference seeks
to focus the field on the problem
of health disparities, such as
the differences among racial,
ethnic, and socio-economic groups
in health and well-being, the
factors that influence these disparities,
and the ways in which these disparities
can be reduced. What are the most
promising ways in which prevention
science can be applied towards
advancing the Healthy People 2010
(www.healthypeople.gov)
objectives for improving the health
of the nation? Submissions are
welcomed that articulate how prevention
science can address several key
factors: biological, behavioral,
social environment, physical environment,
policies, to reduce health disparities
and to promote health and well-being.
International
Collaboration
Efforts to prevent morbidity,
mortality and disability constitute
a universal human endeavour. Worldwide,
various cultures and societies
have engaged in problem solving
in effort to maintain and to enhance
the health and well being of their
members. As various cultural groups
worldwide respond to local challenges,
variation exists in their strategies
for promoting health and preventing
disease. In addition, the globalization
of information and subsequent
exchange of resources, and the
proliferation of disease and problem
behaviors prompt the need for
developing partnerships and collaborations
to identify the most effective
ways to address a wide variety
of health issues and to reduce
health disparities via the application
of the best prevention interventions
available.
Integrating
Biological and Social Factors
From
a biopsychosocial perspective,
as many of the major health problems
are complex and exert their effects
across several ecological levels,
it is imperative that prevention
and treatment be conceptualized
and implemented across these various
levels from the micro to the macro.
Thus, preventive interventions
will be enhanced by the integration
of knowledge from these various
levels of analysis.
Promoting
Well-Being
One approach for addressing health
disparities is to prevent disease
and problem behavior in high risk
populations by promoting well-being
among those not yet affected by
disease or disability. Finding
ways to motivate high risk populations
to invest in their own health
constitutes a major challenge.
Research on ways to promote well-being
actively addresses these challenges
and puts to the test the best
scientific approaches when applied
to complex and multi-problem populations.
Currently, the need exists to
integrate the perspectives that
emphasize the promotion of well-being
with those that focus on the prevention
of problems.
Early
Adolescence
Each year, SPR focuses on a different
stage of development. The 2006
conference invites special attention
to the period of early adolescence.
It is a critical developmental
period because of the biological,
social, and cognitive changes
that occur. Extending roughly
from age 11 through age 14, it
is the period when most psychological
and behavioral problems begin
to escalate. Better understanding
of the developmental processes
involved in this period and the
ways that problem development
could be prevented and successful
development enhanced would be
of substantial value.
Emerging
Opportunities for Prevention Research
Diabetes
and Obesity Prevention and Management
Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes now
constitute emerging epidemics
within American society. The best
of prevention science is needed
to address this emerging epidemic
and to reduce current and future
diseases and disabilities that
are expected to emerge within
the American population as a result
of these disorders. Gene-environment
interactive mechanisms involving
sociocultural changes including:
modernization, acculturation,
assimilation, diminished or accelerated
socioeconomic mobility, and their
interaction with genetic susceptibilities
offer complex but promising models
for understanding these epidemics
particularly when manifested among
racial/ethnic and other high-risk
populations. Addressing current
and future health disparities
induced by obesity and diabetes
calls for the implementation of
the best of prevention science
to eliminate or reduce these health
problems as effectively as possible.
Innovation
in the Development of Preventive
Interventions
Inspection of the effect sizes
of existing preventive interventions
indicates that there is much room
for improving their efficacy.
The development of a new generation
of more efficacious preventive
interventions will require innovation.
Therefore, SPR seeks to foster
discussion of the ways in which
preventive interventions are developed
and the implications of developments
in other areas of the behavioral
sciences and technology that might
serve as sources of innovation.
Monitoring
Systems for Youth and Children
Progress in improving the health
and well-being of children in
various communities requires the
development and implementation
of well functioning local and
regional systems of surveillance
and evaluation. Conference submissions
that describe such systems, their
use, or the processes involved
in getting them established would
contribute to prevention scientists’
ability to foster the widespread
development of such systems.
Violence
Prevention
Violent actions occurring
within couples and families, and
within societies serve as sources
of death, disability and psychological
impairment that impose on society
immeasurable costs in terms of
losses and suffering. A major
challenge in prevention science
involves developing a more accurate
prediction of future violent behavior,
as well as the development of
more effective violence prevention
interventions.
Addictive
Behaviors
Addictive behaviors include high
frequency and quantity in the
consumption of various substances:
illicit drugs (cocaine, heroin,
marijuana), and other pharmacologically
active substances (caffeine, alcohol,
tobacco, prescription drugs),
as well as high consumerism (gambling,
overeating, compulsive buying,
etc.). Moreover, emerging and
more advanced models of addictive
behavior involve the integration
of biological, psychological,
social, and other factors. As
addictive behaviors are resistant
to treatment and typically involve
multiple episodes of relapse,
they pose a special challenge
to the application of the best
prevention science to prevent
their occurrence, and to provide
more effective treatments.
Exploring
Intervention Fidelity and Adaptation
A contemporary challenge in prevention
science involves addressing concurrently
the competing imperatives of administering
a tested and effective prevention
program with fidelity, while also
having sensitivity to the unique
and complex issues faced within
the applied setting, issues that
require adjustments for sensitivity
and responsiveness to the unique
needs of particular clients and
settings. Finding ways to address
both issues simultaneously while
also enhancing and not diminishing
program effectiveness requires
better approaches to prevention
program design and implementation.
Basic
Prevention Research Themes
Epidemiology
Knowing the prevalence of specific
problems or disorders, the distribution
of risk factors in the population,
shifts in risk factors and the
distribution of problems over
time to designing effective prevention
programs. An emphasis on basic
behavioral science and epidemiology
will remain the basis of strong
intervention and prevention programs.
Epidemiological studies typically
reflect phase 1 and 2 trials in
a biomedical model of intervention
development.
Etiology
Prevention science includes research
that has a high probability of
yielding results that will likely
be applicable to disease prevention.
Basic research efforts generate
knowledge that contributes to
the development of future preventive
efforts. Etiological studies typically
reflect Phase 1 trials in a biomedical
model.
Efficacy
Trials
Efficacy trials demonstrate the
“proof of concept”
with a specified population under
conditions of high quality assurance
and strong research designs (typically
randomized controlled designs).
Efficacy trials answer the basic
question of whether there are
benefits from a proposed innovation.
In a biomedical model of intervention
development, these are Phase 3
trials.
Effectiveness
Trials
The true test of a prevention
program is not the efficacy in
the research setting but the effectiveness
in the real-life setting with
the community in charge of the
program. Effectiveness trials
involve replicating an efficacious
intervention under real world
conditions in community settings.
There is less quality assurance
on an ongoing basis and the outcomes
demonstrate the likely impact
of an intervention when delivered
without the original research
team. In a biomedical model, these
are Phase 4 trials.
Dissemination
Careful trials to assess which
programs would be particularly
well suited for dissemination,
which individuals would be most
likely to benefit, and which disorders
are prevented are important steps
in program development. Almost
no interventions have been taken
to scale nationally or internationally;
dissemination research identifies
strategies for taking interventions
to scale and identifies potential
barriers to dissemination.
Cross-Cutting
Thematic Papers
Multivariate
Model Testing
The development of prevention
science is being greatly facilitated
by the use of sophisticated multivariate
models of person-environment interactions,
including the impact of interventions,
and the effects of variables at
multiple levels, such as the individual,
family, and school. Presentations
that extend prevention scientists’
understanding of the use of multivariate
models can contribute to developments
across the entire range of substantive
issues addressed by prevention
scientists.
Innovation
in Methods
Prevention science owes much of
its progress to the development
of new measures, designs, and
statistical analyses. Continued
contributions to the development
of innovations in prevention science
methods are vital to our progress.
For example, mixed-methods approaches
that integrate qualitative and
quantitative methodologies within
a unified research design may
offer more informative research
results, although this approach
still lacks robustness and scientific
rigor. “Cutting edge”
studies and methodological analyses
are welcomed that address measurement,
statistical, methodological and
practical challenges to prevention
science, as well as the benefits
offered by various innovative
methods.
Cultural
Competence
Growing diversity within the American
population increases the need
for competence in developing and
evaluating preventive interventions
that will be appropriate and effective
with diverse groups and special
populations, including African
Americans, Hispanics/Latinos,
Asian Americans, and American
Indians/Native Americans. Moreover,
with world globalization, the
need exists for a more in-depth
understanding of diverse cultures,
their values, beliefs, attitudes
and behaviors, as these relate
to prevention and treatment, and
to the reduction of health disparities.
Although the cultural competence
movement emerged from the health
services arena, a stronger scientific
foundation is needed for the design
of culturally competent and scientifically
rigorous research and interventions.
Presentations that contribute
to the cultural competence of
prevention scientists or to the
empirical understanding of cultural
competence would therefore be
valuable.
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2006
ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Three plenary sessions
• A full day of pre-conference
workshops
• More than 300 organized
symposia, roundtable discussions/scientific
dialogues and paper presentations
• Two evening poster sessions/receptions
• ECPN Luncheon
• NIH Events
• Annual Minority Scholarship
Dance with the Mothers of Prevention
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ECPN EVENTS
ECPN
Luncheon
DATE:
Wednesday, May 31, 2006, Hyatt
Regency San Antonio
TIME: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
COST: $20, Registration Required.
Limited to first 100 registrants
ECPN
"MEET THE SCIENTIST"
DINNER
DATE: Wednesday, May 31, 2005
TIME: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
One of the many exciting opportunities
that the upcoming SPR meeting
affords is the chance to meet
the people whose research has
been meaningful in the development
of our own work in the prevention
field. For the past five years,
ECPN has organized a series of
"Meet the Scientist"
dinners in response to a suggestion
by the board of SPR. ECPN will
once again be organizing this
event at the 2006 SPR conference
in Washington, D.C.. We recognize
that it is not always easy for
early career folks to network
with senior scientists, and hope
that this event provides a helpful
mechanism for doing so. We will
announce when the application
form is available via the SPR
and the ECPN listservs.
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SPR ANNUAL MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP
DANCE
DATE: Thursday, June 1, 2006
TIME: 9:30 PM – 12:30 AM
COST: $20
Join
your SPR friends and colleagues
at the 4rd ANNUAL SPR FUNDRAISING
DANCE to benefit minority participant
scholarships. Dance to the music
of the Mothers of
Prevention featuring
your favorite musicians and colleagues:
Brian Bumbarger, drums and vocals,
Gil Botvin, trumpet and flugelhorn,
Celene Domitrovich, vocals, Jim
Emshoff, electric piano and vocals,
John Graham, guitar and vocals,
David Hawkins, acoustic guitar
and vocals, John Jimenez, lead
guitar, and Randy Swain, bass
guitar. Register on-line in advance
or purchase tickets at the annual
meeting.
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Call
for Papers
ABSTRACTS
The Community of Science (COS)
Web site will be managing our
abstract submissions this year.
The COS site is available for
submissions beginning Wednesday,
September 7, 2005. To facilitate
reviews and scheduling, all abstracts
will be submitted via the Web
site. Special arrangements may
be worked out through the SPR
administrative office for those
unable to access the Internet.
ABSTRACTS SUBMISSION DEADLINE
AND ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATIONS
In order to review all submitted
work, we ask that all abstracts
be submitted no later than 11:59
pm, Eastern Time, Monday,
October 17, 2005.
Presenting
Author Acceptance notifications
will be e-mailed by March 3, 2006.
Presenting
Author Schedule Notifications
will be e-mailed in March 2006.
The
complete schedule will be available
in April 2006.
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HOTEL
INFORMATION
The
Hyatt Regency San Antonio is the
host hotel for the Annual Meeting.
Discounted room reservations are
available through the Hyatt Reservations
Department at 1-800-233-1234.
When making your reservation,
reference the 2006 Society for
Prevention Research 14th Annual
Meeting.
SPR has negotiated special discount
room rates for you at the Hyatt
Regency San Antonio. Your patronage
of this official hotel makes it
possible for SPR to secure the
meeting room space needed for
this event at greatly reduced
cost. Please book at the Hyatt
and book early.
Please note that the cut-off date
for hotel reservations and to
receive the discounted rate is
April 13, 2006. Reserve early
for the best selection.
Room
Rates per Night
Single: $155.00 plus state and
local sales tax. Double: $165.00,
plus state and local sales tax.
Triple: $190.00 plus state and
local sales tax.
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ATTIRE
Suggested dress for the SPR meeting,
receptions, and dinner is business
casual.
NO SMOKING POLICY
Smoking is prohibited during all
sessions and in public areas of
the hotel.
ACCESSIBILITY
Anyone requiring special administrative
assistance in order to participate
in the SPR Annual Meeting is asked
to contact the SPR Office, 703-934-4850
or email jenniferlewis@preventionresearch.org.
QUESTIONS
Please address questions to:
Society for Prevention Research
11240 Waples Mill Road, Suite
200
Fairfax, VA 22030 USA
Tel: (703)–934-4850
Fax: (703)–359-7562
info@preventionresearch.org
We
look forward to seeing you in
San Antonio!
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