Call for abstracts: general presentations and posters

The call for abstracts to present a paper or poster at the Caring for Country Kids Conference in April 2016 is now closed.

Abstracts have been reviewed and ranked and the Program Committee is now massaging the top abstracts into a program.

Presentation options

General presentations: Allocated in 20 minute time slots on the Conference program.

Poster presentations: Poster size is A0 / Portrait.
Author(s) should be available during poster sessions to discuss the poster’s content with delegates at the Conference.

The list of potential topics and abstract categories are provided to illustrate the breadth of interest of the Conference and some of the current priority areas that abstracts might cover.
Abstract topics and catgories will be considered by the Abstract Review Committee when ranking abstracts.

The Presentation Portal will be open from 1 August 2015 until 31 October 2015 and we encourage you to consider presenting your work around the following potential topics below. 

Potential topics

The Alice Springs Conference will focus on:

  • placing children and their families at the centre of care
  • keeping rural and remote kids healthy
  • enhancing the patient journey from primary through secondary to tertiary care – and back again
  • improving access to the right care, in the right place, at the right time
  • building the capacity of rural, regional and remote health workforce teams to care for children locally
  • improving healthcare outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people
  • caring for kids from rural and remote areas who have chronic and/or complex health needs
  • providing emergency care to rural and remote kids
  • mental health care for children in rural and remote communities
  • care of rural and remote children and adolescents with traumatic physical or mental injury

Abstract categories

Abstracts are sought in the following categories:

Research

Research reports, using quantitative and/or qualitative methods that contributes to the evidence base on best practice paediatric care.

Service review

Practical reports of projects on the ground and models of successful service delivery.

Policy

Analysis of public policies, including but not necessarily exclusively in the health sector, that impact on children’s health in rural and remote areas.

Arts

Arts and health activites that relate to the wellbeing of kids in a rural or remote area.

Abstract selection criteria

The criteria used by the Abstract Review Committee will be as follows:

Conference theme and topics: it will offer something significant or unique relating to one or more of the Conference themes.

Current and relevant: the presentation will have an emphasis on and/or relevance to current health issues relating to country children.

Analytical:­­­ the presentation will provide more than a description of a program or service; it will draw out insights, what was learned, recommend new policies and/or actions.

New knowledge: it will provide new ideas or develop further what we already know or have shared previously (ie it is new news, not old).

Broadening health: it may promote understanding of the range of factors and disciplines that impact on the health and wellbeing of rural and remote children.

Quality: it is of high quality scientifically and/or in other ways.

Multidisciplinary: abstracts written from a health consumer standpoint, or with a multidisciplinary focus will be particularly welcome.

Program allocation

The Conference provides the opportunity for 20 minute presentations in concurrent sessions as well as poster presentations.  All submissions will be reviewed by an Abstract Review Committee. Abstracts will be selected to provide a program that offers a comprehensive and diverse focus on issues related to the Conference topics. 

Guided by the views of the expert panel, the Conference Program Committee will then determine the number of concurrent sessions, the mix of presentations and posters, and the themes to be covered.   All speakers will be required to produce a one-page written summary of their presentation for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings.

Format of abstracts

An abstract should summarise the important points of the proposed presentation and highlight the content to be communicated. It needs to be concise yet informative, and contain an outline of the aims, methods, relevance, results and conclusions of the work undertaken.

  • Abstracts should be no longer than 400 words.
  • Abstract titles should be no more than 12 words and the file name of the document to be uploaded should be the same as the title of your abstract.
  • Abstracts should not include author details. The blind review process requires the abstracts to be anonymous. However, as part of the online submission process, you will be asked to provide author details separately.
  • Abstracts should not include tables, figures or references.

Successful abstracts terms and conditions

Authors of successful abstracts will be offered a place on the Conference program and will be required to:

  • confirm your acceptance of a place on the Conference program in writing;
  • provide a 200 word biography for inclusion in the Conference Program; and
  • register at the discounted speaker rate; and
  • provide a one-page presentation summary for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings.

Key dates

1 August 2015

Call for abstracts opens

31 October 2015

Call for abstracts closes

15 December 2015

Authors receive notification of outcome of abstract –
successful, waitlisted or unsuccessful

31 January 2016

Successful authors confirm acceptance and provide 200 word biography

28 February 2016

Submission of one page summary

17-19 April 2016

Caring for Country Kids Conference

Submission methods

Abstracts should be submitted online via this website where they will be redirected to our abstract submission portal.

Authors who are not able to submit their abstract online are asked to contact [email protected]

Questions about the abstract process may be directed to [email protected] or by phone on 02 6285 4660.

Download abstract guidelines here

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