GPHW2024: CAPHIA Infodemic Management Masterclass

Theme:Promoting a Sustainable Life for Thriving Communities

Date and Time: 11th April 2024 | 15:30-17:00 (AEST)

Event Description: The infodemic has been defined by WHO as ‘the overwhelming amount of information, accurate and otherwise that accompanies an acute health event’. The infodemic can make it difficult for people to find accurate health information from reliable sources to make informed decisions about their health. While the infodemic concerns health information seeking, access, and use during health emergencies such as COVID-19, this challenge is the outgrowth of the modern information ecosystem that increasingly impacts other health programs and the health system, as well as society at large.

The information environment is the cumulation of individual, community, organizational, and systems approaches to health information production, exchange, translation, and use. People express themselves, share information, and signal their questions, concerns, and trust in health information through a range of online and offline interactions, that are influenced by a range of factors.

When overlaid with public health, the information ecosystem dynamics challenge how people search for, access, interact with, feel about, and act on health information, therefore contributing to health behaviors. Building resilience to health misinformation and skills to navigate the information environment to find accurate and credible health information is important but complex. Similar to other health issues, factors such as the social and commercial determinants of health, supportive environments, trust in government, health system, health services and each other, interpersonal and intergenerational health information seeking and use, and personal skills all impact an individual’s ability to search for, access, process and act on health information.

This session will introduce the key concepts of a healthy information environment, how it challenges the health system in routine and through infodemics in health emergencies, and describe the lessons learned in the field of infodemiology during the pandemic. The speakers will encourage active participation to share experiences. The presenters bring global and national experience and look forward to the conversation.

Event Link

Event Type: Seminar / Webinar

Event Format: online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): CAPHIA · Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia

How to Attend Virtually: Zoom Link (will be sent after registration)

Registration: Link

GPHW2024: Work Readiness of Public Health Graduates – Challenge Room

Theme: Fostering the Development of the Right Competencies within Tomorrow’s Health Workforce

Date and Time: 12 April 2024 | 9:00-11:00 am GMT +11

Event Description: The pipeline from students to graduates to professionals is vital across all industries. To make sure the workforce remains strong, full of fresh ideas, and able to meet the challenges in front of it. Work readiness is important in every profession. So, why do we struggle to employ fresh public health graduates?

Why is there a preference in the industry to open roles up to other people with transferable skills rather than individuals who have studied prevention and the determinants of health?

How can you, as a public health professional, help to resolve this issue? This will be an interactive session. It will start with the challenge being broken down, and some potential options offered. However, the remainder of the session will be dedicated to attendees discussing this challenge we have in our industry together.

Event Type: Online challenges

Event Format: online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): La Trobe University

How to Attend Virtually: Zoom link (will be sent after registration)

Registration: Link

GPHW2024: Community Resilience and Well-being for a Changing World

Theme: Putting Mental Wellbeing on the Health Agenda

Date and Time: 10 April 2024 | 18:00 – 19:30 CET

Event Description: A thought-provoking webinar about the crucial topic of community resilience in the face of a rapidly changing world, full of social, environmental and many other challenges – rising non-communicable diseases, vaccine hesitancy, antimicrobial resistance, aging, war and armed conflicts, political and economical instability, social digitalisation, climate change and its threats, to list a few.

This webinar will feature a panel discussion led by three speakers:

• Lara Pinheiro Guedes, Public Health Physician, Master’s in Medicine, Master’s in Health Statistics. Well-being and Mental Health Advocate.
• Luísa Alvim Barateiro, Biologist, Master’s in Epidemiology. European Climate Pact Ambassador. Climate Speaker and Planetary Health Advocate.
• Monika Barcikowska, Phd in Environmental Science, European Climate Pact Ambassador. Founder of the Women for Climate – Inner Development Goals Hub.

We will address some of the challenges of this era, approaching them from a system-thinking public health perspective. The goal is to discuss problems, impacts, and a community resilience and well-being framework for the coming years.

In addition to discussing community resilience in the context of future challenges through collective approaches, our webinar will also explore the pivotal role of individual habits and behaviors.

This will be a 60-minute dynamic and participatory session where participants will be invited to share their perspectives and experiences as public health professionals, as well as to answer some online questions through the webinar. The session will end with a 15-minute Q&A.

Event Type: Seminar/Webinar

Event Format: online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): Luísa Barateiro

How to Attend Virtually: Zoom link (will be sent after registration)

Registration: Link

GPHW2024: Sustainability Sparks: Igniting Global Change from the Grassroots Up

Theme: Promoting a Sustainable Life for Thriving Communities

Date and Time: 11th April 2024 | 10:00-12:00 (GMT+3)

Event Description: Our initiative seeks to spotlight grassroots projects that are revolutionizing sustainability within public health, catalyzing tangible change worldwide. By showcasing these projects through interactive showcases, inspiring talks, and collaborative workshops, we aim to empower participants to leverage grassroots action for sustainable, thriving communities. Through fostering connections and sharing best practices, we anticipate sparking a global movement for positive change.

Relevance: In an era marked by escalating environmental crises and widening health disparities, grassroots initiatives offer a beacon of hope. According to the United Nations, grassroots movements have historically played a pivotal role in driving social change, often achieving remarkable outcomes despite limited resources. For instance, a study published in Nature Sustainability found that community-based initiatives are key drivers of sustainability efforts, leading to significant reductions in carbon emissions and improvements in environmental quality. Moreover, the World Health Organization highlights the critical role of community engagement in addressing public health challenges, citing examples such as community health worker programs that have successfully improved health outcomes in underserved areas.

Our proposal aligns seamlessly with the theme of “Promoting a Sustainable Life for Thriving Communities,” offering concrete strategies for building resilient, equitable societies. By spotlighting grassroots projects, we demonstrate their potential to drive transformative change at the local level and beyond. Furthermore, our initiative underscores the importance of community-led approaches in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Other Comments or Suggestions: We are confident that our proposal will deliver a compelling and impactful experience for participants, inspiring them to become agents of change in their own communities. By harnessing the power of grassroots action, we have the potential to create a more sustainable, equitable future for all. Thank you for considering our proposal.

Event Type: Panel discussion & round table

Event Format: Online

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): Hararghe Health Research Partnership (HHR)

How to Attend Virtually: Zoom Link

Registration: N/A

GPHW2024: The Intersection of humanities, arts and sciences in women’s mental wellbeing research

Theme: Putting Mental Wellbeing on the Health Agenda

Date and Time: 10 April 2024 | 13:00 – 14:00 AEST

Event Description: Addressing inequities in women’s mental well-being requires cross-collaboration between disciplines. Here we propose a gathering of experts from medical research, equity research, critical theory, linguistics, and humanities to discuss approaches and methodologies we could use to advance the field.

The program outline is as below:

• Introduction and overview by Dr. Siew Lim
• Critical theories and linguistic approaches in health research by Prof. Chris Watkin
• Participatory approaches to include the voices of all women in health research by Prof. Jacqui Boyle
• Working beneath the surface: applied medical humanities in clinical practice by Prof. Jo Winning

Event Type: Seminar/Webinar

Event Format: Hybrid

Language(s): English

Organiser(s): Monash University, Australia

How to Attend in Person:  Japanese Studies Centre (main auditorium), 12 Ancora Imparo Wy, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia 1-2pm 

How to Attend Virtually: Zoom link (will be sent after registration)

Registration: Link