Imagine over 12,000 people, from dozens of professions, convening to meet and discuss the hot topics in health care. This is the 130th annual American Public Health Association (APHA) conference, the annual gathering for the second-largest health-related organization in America. From November 9-13, this interprofessional conference will convene in Philadelphia, and we look forward to seeing record numbers of chiropractors in attendance. Chiropractic educators, clinicians and researchers will share information about their roles in improving the health of our nation and chiropractic public health education.
If you are a chiropractor practicing or living anywhere near Philadelphia, this is one event you won't want to miss. Aside from a riveting group of educational, clinical, and scientific sessions on chiropractic's participation in enhancing the nation's health, this year there is something new on the agenda. The Chiropractic Health Care (CHC) section, through a grant from APHA, is taking the lead on a collaborative health promotion and prevention-booth in the exhibit hall. In this "megahealth booth," members of the chiropractic, podiatry, vision-care and oral- health sections of APHA will offer health screenings and education about each profession's respective role in health - all in one central location. (News of this historical collaboration will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Nation's Health news publication.) If you would like to participate in who year's booth as a health screener, exhibitor badges will be provided at no cost to the first three chiropractors that contact the CHC section chairperson. It is an exciting time to become a part of, or become a more active part of, the APHA.
The CHC is also holding several collaborative scientific sessions with other sections at APHA. Opportunities for inter-professional education and bridge-building will abound. The conference in Philadelphia is the place to be this November. Dr. Monica Smith, of Palmer Chiropractic College, has worked tirelessly to develop an outstanding collaborative program for this year's conference. We hope you will all attend. No matter where you practice, the trip will be quite worthwhile to you.
There is strength in numbers. Our profession's strength in the APHA (and our number of votes on national health issues) is calculated based upon the number of members in our section. APHA has a great deal to offer DCs, and you have a lot to offer to the APHA and to the profession by becoming a member. Take credit for being involved in public health, and be counted as a member of America's strongest public health advocacy organization.
If you live on the West Coast, APHA will also be coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Next year's conference will be in San Francisco, November 14-18, 2003. So think ahead and plan to attend in sunny California, a state with the reputation for being on the cutting edge of health policies (outlawing smoking in all public buildings, including bars, for example). Our San Francisco conference will offer an excellent opportunity for great numbers of chiropractors to make their presence known in this organization as new or existing members.
The CHC looks forward to welcoming new members, and to seeing you at the annual conference this year or in 2003. If you have questions about APHA, please contact me. I have enjoyed serving as this year's chairperson, and look forward to continuing, as I have been elected to serve another term as the section chair in 2004-2005.
For membership information, contact:
Dr. Cheryl Hawk
800-682-1625
hawk_c@palmer.edu
www.apha.org Lisa Zaynab Killinger,DC
Davenport, Iowa
1-800-682-1625
killinger_l@palmer.edu
Lisa Zaynab Killinger,DC,
chair, APHA Chiropractic Health Care section
Davenport, Iowa
killinger_l@palmer.edu
