Conference Tracks

Track 1: Environmental and occupational health
Abstracts are invited for scientific papers focusing on aspects related to the natural, built and work environments and interventions that protect and promote public health and the environment by controlling and minimising environmental and occupational health hazards. Issues relating to climate change, global warming and public health implications are included in this track.

Track 2: Social determinants of health, policy and health equity
This track covers social determinants of health, policy and health equity, universal policies on reduction of socio-economic disparity and health equity and how to mainstream public health into public policies.

Track 3: Non-communicable diseases and public health implications
Non-communicable diseases affect many South Africans, therefore contributing significantly to the quadruple burden of disease in the country. Abstracts are invited for scientific papers that focus on non-communicable diseases, including mental health, violence, road traffic collisions and risk factors such as smoking, nutrition, physical exercise, substance abuse and obesity.

Track 4: Health systems research and measuring public health
Abstracts are invited on health systems research and measuring public health including methodological innovations in public health, and measurement of health system performance. The measurement of public health interventions, their successes, challenges / failures and barriers to up-scaling / expansion for broader population health outcomes would be of particular interest. 

Track 5: Community action and best practices
This track covers evidence-based policy and practice, and public health models of prevention, treatment, care and support activities in communities and the workplace. The track gives an opportunity to people involved in community-based public health initiatives and projects who are not necessarily academics or researchers, to share their valuable and practical public health experiences. Abstracts are invited on innovative monitoring and evaluation programmes and community-led interventions for prevention and care.

Track 6: Communicable diseases and public health implications
Abstracts are invited for scientific papers that focus on priority infectious diseases (e.g. HIV/AIDS, malaria tuberculosis), new and emerging infectious diseases (such as H1N1), risks, interventions and control mechanisms, both at national and international levels.

Track 7: Global health and public health advocacy
This track covers issues of global health importance (e.g. role of international donor agencies); globalisations and its impact on health and public health advocacy.  Abstracts are invited for scientific papers that focus on health promotion, public engagement, advocacy and the role of the media in public health