I am proud to be a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA), and to be serving as the Chiropractic Health Care section chair-elect for 2008. Recently, I attended the chair-elect orientation meeting in Washington, D.C., and spent two days with an incredibly dedicated, enormously capable group of individuals who are passionate about the importance ofpublic health.
They want to see to it that people have a safe environment with healthy food and clean water. They want to make sure that we are prepared for an emergency. They want to see to it that people who need care get it, whether it is medical, vision, podiatric, dental or chiropractic care. They are interested in people's health from maternity to birth through school, family life, social and occupational health, and on to health aging.
I've returned from this meeting with a heightened respect for the altruism of the members of this organization. We discussed how to move the organization forward to reduce disparity and improve access to needed care. We discussed how to advocate for patients, educate the population and our legislators, and improve the health of communities. In a time when there is economic hardship and the daily practice routine becomes mired in increasing paperwork and ever-expanding regulation, it is good to have an organization such as the APHA to remind us of the real reason we are in practice: to help our patients be healthy.
There are currently 25 different sections of the APHA. Some have been in existence more than 100 years. Chiropractors have only had their own section for about 13 years, but we are full partners in all respects. The APHA is a diverse group with a broad and all-encompassing approach to our nation's health. You can find a complete list of the various sections on the APHA Web site (www.apha.org).
Once a year, all of these groups, as well as numerous Special Primary Interest Groups, forums and caucuses, come together for the APHA Annual Meeting. This is the most diverse gathering of health professionals in the United States, with anticipated attendance of 12,000-15,000. There is an extensive program, with the Chiropractic Health Care section providing five scientific sessions (outlined below).
These are sessions of contributed work that have undergone rigorous peer review. The reviewers are clinicians, educators and scientists who have clinical expertise, as well as expertise in health promotion, epidemiology and research methodology. The first session will explore chiropractic care in integrative environments as well as attitudes about Eastern and Western medical traditions:
Developing Integrative Approaches to Patient Care
Moderator: Paul Dougherty, DC
The next two sessions will provide updates on current research. There will be presentations on the findings of clinical trials, interexaminer reliability studies, literature reviews and outcome-measure evaluation:
Current Research in Chiropractic I
Moderator: William Meeker, DC, MPH
Current Research in Chiropractic II
Moderator: Mitchell Haas, DC
The fourth session will include discussions on student attitudes regarding public health, educational initiatives, strategies to incorporate more preventive practices in teaching clinics, and ethical theory:
Educational Research and Processes
Moderator: Gary D. Schultz, DC, DACBR
The fifth session will provide information on chiropractic care and public health issues in Third-World countries, humanitarian missions and underserved populations, as well as an update on developing a master's degree program in health promotion in a chiropractic educational settings:
Health Promotion, Nationally and Internationally
Moderator: Dana J. Lawrence, DC
The Chiropractic Health Care section program is a very small part of the overall program. There are hundreds of sessions exploring nearly every aspect of public health. The opening session features Sir Michael Marmot, director of the International Institute for Society and Health. The closing session includes a panel of three former U.S. Surgeon Generals.
One of the highlights of the annual meeting is the exhibit hall. There are hundreds of exhibits by different agencies, organizations, schools and vendors. The Chiropractic Health Care section always has a popular booth that provides the opportunity to interact with the broad spectrum of health professionals.
The annual meeting is in San Diego this year. The first CHC business meeting is Sunday, Oct. 26, and the scientific sessions are all on Monday, Oct. 27. I encourage you to visit the APHA Web page and review the program, the organization's mission and the resources. You will come away recognizing that this is a vibrant and influential organization. You will see that the chiropractic section is an integral and active component of the APHA and a full partner. You will see our section has dedicated and capable individuals interested in advancing the profession by putting patient health first.
I hope you will join us in San Diego. The annual meeting is a rare and excellent opportunity. If that won't work for you, please support us through your membership in the APHA - not for what membership does for you, but for what it does for your patients, your community and your profession. Join the APHA or renew today. Become a part of the community of health care professionals who care about the bigger picture.
To view the complete list of presenters for each of the chiropractic scientific sessions, visit www.apha.org/meetings/sessions/. Click on "2008 Online Program" and then "Chiropractic Health Care" under the section heading.
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