Program Track Information

Biomedical and Laboratory Issues

This track will include presentations related to the clinical management of persons with STI, the basic science of sexually transmitted pathogens, laboratory diagnostics and biomedical interventions to control STIs.

Topics

Clinical aspects of STI

STI natural history
Clinical manifestations and the evaluation of STI and STI syndromes

Biomedical Interventions

Evaluations of current STI screening and treatment practices and guideline implementation
Interventions to improve the uptake of STI screening and treatment
New pharmacologic interventions
STI vaccine research, including HPV vaccine implementation and new vaccines

Laboratory Issues

Laboratory studies of STI pathogenesis and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance
Evaluations of new diagnostic tests and the performance of existing tests on novel specimen types
Laboratory issues related to testing for antimicrobial resistance
Evaluations of reverse sequence syphilis screening

Co-Chairs

Mary Kamb, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Matt Golden, University of Washington

Epidemiology and Surveillance

This track covers program-relevant research on: 1) the distribution, determinants, and dynamics of sexually transmitted infections in populations; and 2) developing, enhancing, and evaluating surveillance systems.

Topics

Epidemiology

Viral
Non-viral
Populations at risk

Surveillance

Infections
Behaviors
Informatics/Innovations

Co-Chairs

Tom Peterman, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mark Stenger, Washington State Department of Health

Health Services and Systems

This track covers ways in which systematic factors (e.g., organizational structures and processes, financing systems, and health technologies) affect access to STD prevention and treatment services, the cost and quality of these services, and the individual and population-level impact of these services.

Topics

Adapting STD prevention services to the increasing role of the private sector, and assessing and assuring the coverage and quality of STD services provided by providers in the community.
Innovations related to program integration
Health care reform and STD prevention
Access to STD treatment and prevention services
Program evaluation, health economics and cost-effectiveness studies, and assessments of the population-level impact of STD prevention activities
The emergent role of health information technology

Co-Chairs

Harrell Chesson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
William (Bill) Lafferty, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Social and Behavioral Aspects of Prevention

This track covers research, practice, and evaluation of social and behavioral aspects of STI prevention. Abstracts that address any, some, or all of the multiple levels (e.g., psychological, behavioral, social and sexual partnerships, community, cultural, structural) related to sexual health and STI outcomes among individuals and populations are encouraged.

Topics

Social determinants of STI risk, defined as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that are shaped by economic, social, or physical factors
Research or programs focused on priority populations, including adolescents and young adults, men who have sex with men, racial/ethnic minorities, persons using illicit drugs, homeless and transient people
Methods of behavioral surveillance for programs and research
Prevention research and evaluation, including behavioral and programmatic interventions
Population-level structural interventions including policy changes
Dissemination, adaptation and translation of research
Development, implementation, and evaluation of health communication and social marketing campaigns
Ethics and ethical influences on research and prevention programs, including individual and population-focused approaches