Join our mailing list for program, schedule and hotel updates We are pleased to invite you to join us at the 21st Annual Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference.   Under the theme Capturing the Wisdom of Practice and the Rigor of Research – Discovering the Best Health Promotion Strategies, the conference continues its long-standing tradition of bringing together practitioners, scientists and educators from across disciplines to learn and share their experience.  This conference will feature: Pre-conference Intensive Training Seminars Breakout sessions from the top scientists and practitioners in health promotion Keynote addresses that will engage and inspire Additional presentations featuring panel discussions, research reports and case studies Networking opportunities, fitness activities and more

Capturing the Wisdom of Practice and the Rigor of Research – Discovering the Best Health Promotion Strategies

Demand for health promotion programs is at an all time high.  Most large and medium sized employers either have programs in place or plan to launch one soon.  Hospitals are offering programs to their patients and communities.  Insurance carriers are engaging their members in lifestyle change campaigns and paying for proactive clinical health promotion procedures.  Basic programs are evolving into comprehensive programs.  Health promotion strategies are being integrated into state and national policy through medical care, transportation, agriculture, and business tax procedures.  Well-designed programs continue to improve health and save money. That’s the very good news. 
 
The bad news is that we still don’t know what works best, when, why, where and with whom.  The most talented program designers develop great programs, but they produce great outcomes because of their personal knowledge and intuition, not because they follow standard protocols that are widely endorsed and available.  Until we figure out the strategies that do indeed work best, it will be difficult to reach all people with great programs, and to do so in a cost effective way.
 
The best methods are not developed by scientists working in isolated laboratories.  Not by bureaucrats in Washington DC.  Not by human resource professionals working with consultants. Not by clinicians working with patients. Not even by health promotion experts as they manage programs.  The best methods are developed by all of these professionals working together.  (By the way, the other good news is that growing amounts of federal funds are available to study what does work best, so scientists will be seeking to build collaborative teams to conduct these studies.)
 
The goals of this conference are threefold.  First, to provide a forum for discussion among practitioners, scientists, clinicians and business managers.  Second, to describe much of what we already know does work best from each of these perspectives. Third, to help shape collaborative efforts that can be successful in conceiving, testing, discovering and sharing what indeed does work best. 

Michael O'Donnell, PhD, MBA, MPH
Editor in Chief, American Journal of Health Promotion
Program Chair, Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference