Organizers of ISBNPA 2019 Annual Meeting are pleased to offer you this wide selection of pre-conference courses.

Please note: ISBNPA fees depend on your country’s classification by the World Bank. (see list here)

Workshop Registration Costs

Organizers of ISBNPA 2019 reserve the right to cancel any workshop should the minimum number of registrants not be reached. In the event of a workshop cancellation, the registrants will be notified via email and offered attendance at another workshop or a full refund.

Please Note

  • The registration cost for a half-day workshop includes morning or afternoon break and course notes
  • The registration cost for two half-day workshops includes morning and afternoon break and course notes
  • The registration cost for a full day workshop includes morning break, lunch and afternoon break and course notes
  • Courses will be in English only
Pre-Conference Workshop Schedule: Tuesday, June 4th

Full Day Workshops

Workshop #1

Time: 8:30-16:30

Title: ISBNPA early career researcher and student workshop

Room: Club A

Name of the Proponent: Dr Jenna Hollis

Affiliation: 

1. Webinar lead, Network for Early career researchers and Students of ISBNPA (NESI), ISBNPA

2. Hunter New England Population Health and the University of Newcastle, Australia

Other Persons Involved: Maartje Poelman & Katherine Downing (ISBNPA Executive Committee ECR and Student Representatives), Other NESI committee members (15 members)

Brief Description: The workshop is for ECRs and students who are interested in career development topics such as academic career progression, career options outside of academia (e.g. Government, Non-Government Organizations, industry), grant writing, publishing and peer reviewing articles, strengthening a curriculum vitae, developing leadership skills, building collaborations and networking, and advocacy and communication to policy makers to translate research to practice. Participants will have the opportunity to network with senior and junior researchers in the field of behavioral nutrition and physical activity. The workshop format will include presentations from experts, interactive Q&A sessions, and round-table discussions.

  • The workshop will commence with a brief introduction to the workshop agenda, an ice-breaker, and an opportunity for participant and NESI member introductions.
  • Presentations and interactive Q&A sessions will focus on career options and pathways (e.g. academia, government, non-government organizations, industry), building collaborations and networking, grant writing, insight into the journal publication process, learning to write quality peer reviews, building a strong curriculum vitae, leaderships skills, managing your supervisor/s, and communicating findings to policy makers to translate research to practice.
  • Presenters will include ISBNPA fellows, keynotes from the conference, and other senior and junior researchers from a variety of countries and career stages. Previous workshops have included the following experienced speakers: David Crawford, Kylie Ball, Johannes Brug, Greet Cardon, Pedro Teixeira, Clare Collins, David Lubans, and Jim Sallis.
  • The interactive sessions will include at least two round-table discussions during which participants can engage in in-depth conversation with the speakers.
  • Morning tea and lunch will be provided, and participants will have the chance to network with other ECRs and students during these breaks.
  • Maartje Poelman and Katherine Downing (EC representatives from NESI) will provide an overview of NESI and the NESI networking activities at the conference (e.g. NESI zone, ECR dinner), and share information on the ISBNPA mentoring scheme.
  • Jenna Hollis will chair the overall workshop, with the assistance of NESI committee members.

Half Day Workshops

Workshop #2

Time: 8:30-12:00

Title: Evaluation and scale-up of physical activity interventions: lessons from six large-scale trials in Australia and Canada

Room: Club B

Name of the Proponent: Prof Cathie Sherrington

Affiliation: University of Sydney

Other Persons Involved: Prof Adrian Bauman (University of Sydney, Australia), Prof Heather McKay (University of British Columbia, Canada), Prof P-J Naylor (University of Victoria, Canada), A/Prof Anne Tiedemann (University of Sydney, Australia), Dr Leanne Hassett (University of Sydney, Australia)

Brief Description: This workshop will create a forum for the exchange of ideas among those conducting large-scale trials of physical activity interventions in different settings. The focus will be on key aspects of study design, evaluation frameworks, outcomes and measurement approaches.

We will present six case studies from Australia and Canada to illustrate the scope and diversity of evaluation of physical activity interventions. Case studies involve large scale pragmatic trials (individually and cluster randomised) and/or evaluations of scaled up interventions. These studies have been undertaken in populations ranging from children to older adults in settings including day care, schools, hospitals and older adults in the community. The session will be interactive and will also provide the opportunity for participants to contribute examples from their own experience and to ask questions. One key global goal is to promote collaboration and information sharing. Another goal is to consider development of a consensus statement on the evaluation of physical activity interventions.

By the end of the session participants will be introduced to aspects of different trial designs [pragmatic, explanatory, hybrid, effectiveness and scale-up trials], choice of outcome measures, and economic analyses.

Chairs: Prof Adrian Bauman, Prof Heather McKay

8:30 – Prof Heather McKay. Introductions, hybrid effectiveness implementation designs, overview of Choose to Move.

8:45 – Prof Cathie Sherrington. Pragmatic/ explanatory trials, overview of AMOUNT

9:10 – Examples of other large-scale pragmatic physical activity trials: A/Prof Tiedemann (CHANGE, BEST), Prof Naylor (Appetite to Play), examples from workshop participants.

9:30 – Physical activity outcome assessment in trials (Prof Sherrington)

10:00 – Morning tea

10:20 – Economic evaluation in trials (Prof Sherrington)

10:40 – Implementation evaluation (Prof Naylor)

11:10 – Implementation to scale-up (Prof McKay )

11:40 – General discussion and questions (Prof Bauman)

11:55 – Concluding remarks (Prof Bauman)

12:00 – Close.

  

Workshop #3

Time: 13:15-16:30

Title: Learn techniques to tailor obesity risk assessment tools to the literacy, socioeconomic, language and cultural practices of your target audience and select appropriate validation methods

Room: Club B

Name of the Proponent: Marilyn Townsend, PhD RD

Affiliation: University of California, Davis

Other Persons Involved: Mical Shilts, PhD (California State University, Sacramento, United States), Karina Diaz Rios, PhD RD (University of California, Merced, United States), Louise Lanoue, PhD (University of California, Davis, United States)

Brief Description: Obesity continues to disproportionately impact low-income, ethnically diverse populations and is a serious public health issue; yet traditional methods of obesity-related behavior assessment do not perform well in non-traditional research and community settings with socially disadvantaged groups. The ability to monitor population trends, evaluate intervention programs and make informed policy and practice decisions, depends on the availability of relevant and valid assessment tools.

One size does not fit all when it comes to assessment of obesity related behaviors. This interactive half day workshop will include discussions and activities to assist participants in selecting methods to tailor and validate assessment tools to their research outcomes and audience demographics.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have discussed and applied concepts related to their research area and planned next steps in tailoring and validation. Specifically, the workshop will focus on the providing various methods used in development, tailoring and validation of assessment tools targeting obesity related behaviors such as fruit and vegetable consumption, sleep, screen time, and sugar sweetened beverage consumption.

  • Introductions and program overview: Dr Townsend
  • Small group activity: Dr Shilts
    • Facilitated discussion about assessment needs identified by session participants, including defining target outcomes, audience/respondents, and setting
  • Considerations to develop valid and reliable tools:
    • Determine content
      • Literature review—theoretical base, available tools identification
      • Criterion validity (convergent and discriminant); Dr Townsend & Dr Lanoue
    • Reliability testing
      • Internal consistency
      • Temporal stability
    • Establish face validity
      • Tailor to respondent’s needs (literacy, SES, language); Dr Shilts
      • Photo customization; Dr Shilts
      • Cognitive interviewing; Dr Diaz Rios
    • Each part will discuss the purpose of the approach, considerations based on the purpose (i.e., research vs. program evaluation), considerations to its application (e.g., required resources-), and examples of best practices.
      • How do you choose which type of testing?
      • What can you accomplish with minimal budget?
  • Tailor valid tools for group intervention, counseling and clinic settings: Dr Shilts
  • Small group activity: Dr Diaz Rios & Dr Lanoue
    • Session participants will develop a plan to develop and test a tool based on the needs discussed in point II (i.e., first activity). Plan must consider available literature/tools, target respondent’s characteristics, and resources needed to develop the tool (money, time, people).
  • Conclusion: Dr Townsend
    • Review main concepts presented
    • Discuss next steps in research & participant action plans
Workshop #4

Time: 8:30-12:00

Title: How to motivate the family to change? Applying Motivational Interviewing spirit & skills

Room: Club C

Name of the Proponent: Prof Moria Golan

Affiliation: Tel Hai Academic College

Other Persons Involved: Maya Mouallem (Tel Hai Academic College, Israel)

Brief Description: Motivational Interviewing (MI) has an ever-growing body of evidence supporting its use in physical activity and lifestyle behaviour change. 

The demonstration of empathy, acceptance, evocation and collaboration are highlighted as keystones in the building of a therapeutic alliance with client seeking assistance in combating obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NOCD). 

Current research indicates that communication skills such as MI micro-skills (OARS) are imperative in various behavioural changes.

This workshop provides an introduction to motivational interviewing spirit and skills focusing on the engagement process, to increase patient motivation and decrease disengagement.

Based on extensive research and clinical practice in the field of parenting and weight-related problems, this presentation will suggest several modes of communication to challenge parents’ resistance, compete with parents demands and promote better parental motivation and compliance to parents-centered programs. Enrollment campaigns tap into the desires of parents to be good parents by urging them to make smart choices in raising their children and balancing their parenting practices.

Background

Motivational Interviewing (MI) has an ever-growing body of evidence supporting its use in physical activity and lifestyle behavior change.

The demonstration of empathy, acceptance, evocation, and collaboration are highlighted as keystones in the building of a therapeutic alliance with client seeking assistance in combatting obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NOCD).

Current research indicates that communication skills such as MI micro-skills (OARS) are imperative in various behavioral changes.

This workshop serves as an introduction to motivational interviewing spirit and skills, focusing on engagement processes, to increase patient motivation and decrease disengagement.

Based on extensive research and clinical practice in the field of parenting and weight-related problems, this presentation will suggest several modes of communication to challenge parents’ resistance, compete with parents demands, and promote higher parental motivation and compliance to parent-centered programs.

Self-determination theory assumes that the important thing is not how much a person is motivated, but rather than for what reasons. Internal motivation is encouraged, since external motivation only exists as long as the source is present. Enrollment campaigns tap into the desires of parents to be good parents, by urging them to make smarter choices in raising their children and balancing their parenting practices. 

MI training provides a fantastic opportunity to introduce a different way to perceive what used to be called ‘patient resistance’. Practitioners rarely try to create discord intentionally in their own practice, though it happens frequently. It clearly seems to make the patient backtrack rather than move forward. Therefore, we will practice strategies to address clients’ resistance to change.

Objectives:

  • This workshop will introduce the spirit and basic skills in motivational interviewing, and the ways they are employed in order to engage parents to provide a healthy environment at home.
  • Participants will learn the major “traps” that can lead to disengaged interactions.
  • Participants will practice key motivational interviewing skills to promote patient engagement and cope with clients’ resistance

Format: 

We will use a range of experiential real and role-playing activities, videos, and audio and visual tools. The focus will be on active skill practice and participation through questions, discussions, and real role play.

Tentative schedule:

  1. 1 hr – Ambivalence and how parents react when they are confused or ambivalent.
  2. 1 hr – MI spirit and motivating parents to reclaim parental leadership.
  3. 1 hr – OARS and ways to increase client engagement.
  4. 1 hr – Coping with resistance.
Workshop #5

Time: 13:15-16:30

Title: Selecting Behavioral and Environmental Measures for Youth Eating and Physical Activity

Room: Club C

Name of the Proponent: Leslie A. Lytle, PhD

Affiliation: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Other Persons Involved: David Berrigan, PhD (National Institutes of Health, USA), Sharon Kirkpatrick, PhD (University of Waterloo, Canada), Allison Myers, PhD, MPH (Oregon State University, USA), Jim Sallis, PhD (University of California San Diego, USA), Greg Welk, PhD (Iowa State University, USA)

Experts for Part 2:

Lene Frost Anderson, PhD (University of Oslo)

Greet Cardon, PhD (University of Ghent)

Stuart Fairclough, PhD (Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom)

Louise Masse, PhD (University of British Columbia, Canada)

Leia Minaker, PhD (University of Waterloo, Canada)

Jill Reedy, PhD (National Institutes of Health, USA)

Brief Description: Assessing obesity-related behaviors and environmental determinants continues to challenge researchers and practitioners. In this session, the facilitators will provide an overview of key considerations in selecting measures of youth dietary and physical activity behaviors as well as food and activity environments that are generally relevant to broad populations. The workshop will conclude with breakout groups lead by measurement experts with which participants can engage in conversation about practical strategies towards selecting optimal and well accepted measures for their unique study interests. This workshop draws upon efforts of the U.S. National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR) to support researchers and practitioners in choosing the best possible measures for studies and evaluations through a searchable registry and accompanying user guides and interactive learning modules. NCCOR represents a collaboration of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Learning objectives:

  1. Identify complexities in the measurement of dietary and activity behaviors and environmental determinants related to those behaviors.
  2. Apply key considerations in measuring dietary and activity behaviors and food and physical activity environments and weigh tradeoffs among measures to identify those suitable for given research or practice purposes.
  3. Identify resources such as NCCOR’s Measures Registry and NCCOR User’s Guides and other sources to help support appropriate method selection, implementation, analysis and interpretation.
  4. Learn how to navigate the NCCOR Measures Registry to help identify the most appropriate measures for a given study or evaluation.
  5. Receive advice and guidance from leaders in the field through small breakout sessions.

Workshop format:

The workshop is divided into two parts:

  1. A series of presentations with a question and answer period and group discussion; and
  2. Breakout sessions where participants self-select into expert-led groups based on measurement domains (individual diet; individual physical activity; food environment and the physical activity environment) and receive advice and guidance from leaders in the field.

Part 1. The first part of this workshop will provide an overview of measurement issues related to the assessment of individual and environmental aspects of diet and physical activity related to childhood obesity from the authors of the NCCOR User Guides.  In addition, there will be an introduction to the NCCOR Measures Registry and User Guides.  This overview will occur through six 10-15 minute ‘lightning’ presentations (an overview of measurement considerations; assessing individual diet behaviors; assessing individual physical activity behaviors; assessing the food environment; assessing the physical activity environment; and an overview of NCCOR resources).  Each presentation will be followed by a 10-minute question and answer session with large group discussion (total 150 minutes or 2.5 hours).  Presentations will be supported by print and electronic materials.

The speakers to be involved include:

  1. Overview of considerations: Leslie Lytle, PhD – University of North Carolina
  2. Assessing individual diet behaviors: Sharon Kirkpatrick, PhD – University of Waterloo
  3. Assessing individual physical activity behaviors: Greg Welk, PhD – Iowa State University
  4. Assessing the food environment: Allison Myers, PhD, MPH – Oregon State University
  5. Assessing the physical activity environment: Jim Sallis, PhD – University of California San Diego
  6. Overview of NCCOR resources: David Berrigan, PhD – National Institutes of Health

Part 2. Each attendee will self-select into one or more breakout sessions where they can engage in conversations with other participants and experts in the field about practical strategies for selecting optimal and well accepted measures for their unique study interests.  Participants would self-select into groups led by workshop presenters (listed above) and other guests who have committed to participate in the workshop, including:

  • Lene Frost Anderson, PhD – University of Oslo (individual diet)
  • Greet Cardon, PhD – University of Ghent (physical activity environment)
  • Stuart Fairclough, PhD – Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom (individual physical activity)
  • Louise Masse, PhD – University of British Columbia (diet and PA environments)
  • Leia Minaker, PhD – University of Waterloo, Canada (food environment
  • Jill Reedy, PhD – National Institutes of Health, USA (individual diet and food environment)
Workshop #6

Time: 8:30-12:00

Title: Navigating the midcareer journey

Room: Club D

Name of the Proponent: A/Prof Maureen Ashe

Affiliation: University of British Columbia, Canada

Other Persons Involved: Dr Borja del Pozo-Cruz (Australian Catholic University, Sydney, NSW, Australia), Dr Ruth Lowry (University of Chichester, West Sussex, England)

Brief Description: Please join us for the Midcareer Network (MCN) workshop at the 2019 ISBNPA Annual Meeting. The MCN is the most recent community within the ISBNPA membership and includes researchers and practitioners who self-select themselves to be at midcareer: although the typical member is frequently 5-9 years post-doctoral program. The MCN goals are to discuss issues particularly relevant to those at midcareer such as, balancing teaching, service and research, mentoring, disseminating research, and applying for funding. In this half-day workshop, we aim to have participatory sessions with midcareer and senior researchers from the field of physical activity and nutrition who will provide insights into the core topics described above.

8:30 – Introduction and review of the Mid-Career Network, and half-day session – A/Prof Maureen Ashe, University of British Columbia, Canada and Dr. Borja del Pozo, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia

8:45 – Finding Balance: Strategies to prioritize and strategize action items at midcareer –  Prof. Chris Lonsdale, Institute for Positive Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia

9:15 – Break out session: Challenges and solutions at midcareer – A/Prof Maureen Ashe and Dr. Borja del Pozo

9:45 – Disseminating research – Does social media play a role? – Dr. Dori Pekmezi, Department of Health Behavior, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA

10:15 – Break out session: Benefits and challenges with social media – A/Prof Maureen Ashe and Dr. Borja del Pozo

10:45 – Mentorship: Giving and Receiving Career Support – A/Prof Sandra Mandic, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, New Zealand

11:15 – Panel Discussion

11:55 – Conclusion

Workshop #7

Time: 13:15-16:30

Title: International network on green space related approaches to physical activity promotion: The GREEN-PA Network

Room: Club D

Name of the Proponent: Ruth Hunter

Affiliation: Queen’s University Belfast

Other Persons Involved: Dr Sonja Kahlmeier (University of Zurich, Switzerland), Prof Carlo Fabian (FHNW, Switzerland), Prof Mark Nieuwenhuijsen (IS Global Barcelona, Spain), Prof Kelly O’Hara (University Beira Interior, Portugal), Dr Erja Rappe (Age Institute, Finland) Dr Niamh Murphy (Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland)

Brief Description: Providing green spaces has health and other benefits particularly in youth, older people and socially disadvantaged groups, and is recognized as a promising approach to promoting PA in all population groups. Physical activity (PA) has been identified as an important pathway of the green space and health relationship but open questions remain.

The GREEN-PA network (led by Dr Sonja Kahlmeier) aims to:

  1. Build an international network of scientists, policymakers and practitioners to support exchange on urban green-space related approaches to promoting PA;
  2. Foster consensus building to identify research and implementation gaps, facilitating research initiatives and translation of scientific evidence for policy and practice;
  3. Ensure visibility and recognition of the topic in scientific organizations, events and policy processes.

An aim of the Network is to develop a consensus statement regarding green space and PA. A key activity of the workshop will be to discuss, reflect and provide input on the consensus statement (see part 2).

This workshop would be of interest to researchers, policymakers and practitioners at all levels involved in PA and/or green space.

By bringing together the global research community around green space and PA into a moderated exchange, the GREEN-PA Network workshop will facilitate the formation of strong consortia for research initiatives to address selected open research questions. This will also include “match-making” between experts from different disciplines who have not worked together yet. The workshop will also promote the co-creation of knowledge by enabling the validation of specific research questions, which will strengthen research proposals developed by consortia arising from the GREEN-PA workshop.

Part 1 – Overview of knowledge of green space and PA (75 mins)

A series of short presentations by core members of the network regarding on “what we know – and what don’t we know” in the area of green space and PA, including for example, PA-related pathways, health effects for the youth, older people and socially disadvantaged, other co-benefits, key lessons for policy and practice and open research questions for each topic.

15 mins      [SK] Welcome, introductions and overview of the workshop

15 mins      [RH] Green space approaches

15 mins      [KO’H] Green space-PA and youth

15 mins      [ER] Green space-PA and older adults

15 mins      [NM] Green space-PA and socially disadvantaged groups

Part 2 – The green space-PA consensus statement (90 mins)

Professionals will define and discuss key questions, exchanging ideas and resources in the field on green space-PA in youth, older adults and socially disadvantaged groups. The programme will combine short presentations by experts and group work, comparing data, recent research, expectations – trying to connect the dots in other to construct a general framework of themes and trends.

The development process will include an interdisciplinary and a strong transdisciplinary component, to reflect researchers, policymakers and practitioner’s points of views and to foster translation of scientific evidence for policy and practice, and vice-versa.

Preparatory work will be done by the core team on the outline and draft contents of the document, based on existing evidence and exchange with key target groups, including researchers, policy makers and practitioners through the network.

Key development steps will be made at the workshop to respectively draft and to finalise the document in a truly inter- and transdisciplinary co-production effort. Following the workshop, input will be sought through the regular online meetings of the 4 working groups and with representatives of the target groups, and by bilateral exchange with selected key experts.

Part 3 – Vision of the GREEN-PA Network (60 mins)

This closing session of the workshop is to discuss with participants their vision for the GREEN-PA Network. The network aims to strengthen intersectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration on green spaces, PA and health and advance the understanding of mechanisms and implementation challenges. It will foster translation of research evidence into policy and practice through co-creation and foster research on PA, green spaces and health and other co-benefits.

15 mins    [SK] Vision of the GREEN-PA Network

30 mins    [CF] Roundtable discussion (and feedback) of vision of network with workshop participants

15 mins    [SK] Wrap up and close

Workshop #8

Time: 8:30-12:00

Title: The New Frontier of Behavioral Research: Big Data, User Phenotypes, and Precision Interventions

Room: Club H

Name of the Proponent: Melanie Hingle and Katherine Livingstone

Affiliations: University of Arizona1 
                      Deakin University2

Other Persons Involved: Heather Patrick, PhD (Carrot Inc.), Debbe Thompson, PhD, RDN (USDA-ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, USA), Dori Steinberg, PhD (Duke University, USA), Ann DeSmet, PhD (Ghent University, Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium) Kelly Morgan, PhD (Cardiff University, United Kingdom)

Brief Description: Richer phenotypic data reflecting individual behavior, the environment, and related contextual factors will make it possible to define at-risk subgroups and develop and evaluate personalized prevention strategies and therapies. How one captures and derives meaning from these data remain open research questions. The purpose of this half-day, interactive workshop is to advance participants’ understanding of multi-modal data integration, interpretation, and application from the perspectives of behavioral scientists engaged in diet, physical activity, and obesity prevention research. Participants will explore ways in which phenotypic data may be utilized to develop precision prevention strategies and therapies and discuss ethical implications associated with these data. Upon completing this workshop, participants will be able to propose how these data might be collected and integrated to form a holistic view of individual health and discuss potential challenges within the context of personalized health and behavior change prescriptions.

Recent developments in digital health technologies, including sensors and mobile applications, as well as the proliferation of electronic health records and increasing engagement in social media platforms for health information, peer support, and even interventions have resulted in a wealth of data. These data can be used to inform the development, implementation, and evaluation of highly tailored treatments to prevent and manage chronic conditions caused by poor diet, physical inactivity, and excess weight.

This interactive, half-day workshop has been designed to (1) introduce participants to the different types of data that may be available (or collected), (2) to describe how such data may be leveraged to create “real world phenotypes” (of behaviors, conditions, and/or patients), (3) explore the ways in which such data may be used to develop novel, precision approaches to preventing or treating chronic conditions, and (4) consider the ethical implications of using data collected surreptitiously through various digital technologies. To that end, this workshop has been divided into three phases. The first part of the workshop will consist of three brief, didactic presentations that will serve to introduce the different sources of data available, provide illustrative, real-world examples of how data have been used to create user stories and real-world phenotypes, and extracting meaning from the data. The second part of the workshop will engage participants in a “hands on” interactive experience in which they work in small groups to translate the elements from the didactic presentations into practice using actual datasets provided by workshop faculty. The third and final part of the workshop is a moderated discussion with workshop faculty and participants on ethical considerations of using “big data” and tailoring prevention and treatment strategies using these data.

Schedule

8:30-9:00 – Welcome, Introduction, Foundational (5-min) talk

9:00-9:45 – Didactic presentations

  • 9:00-9:15 – Introduction: Where do the data come from?
  • 9:15-9:30 – Tales from the field: How to use data to create user stories/phenotypes
  • 9:30-9:45 – Data integration and feedback to participants (big data analytics, data viz)

9:45-10:00 – Coffee break

10:00-10:40 – Special Topic 1 focuses on defining the real-world phenotype. This will include deciding on whether to phenotype patients, behaviors, or conditions and identifying necessary data sources.

  • 5-minute introduction to the special topic
  • 20-minute facilitated brainstorm within small groups
  • 15-minute report back + larger group discussion

10:40-11:20 – Special Topic 2 builds from Topic 1 and addresses creation of the phenotype. This topic will involve examples from a dataset made available to participants during the workshop.

  • 5-minute introduction to the special topic
  • 20-minute facilitated brainstorm within small groups
  • 15-minute report back + larger group discussion

11:20-12:00 – Special Topic 3 prompts participants to use phenotype information to develop a hypothetical “precision” (tailored) prevention or treatment strategy.

  • 5-minute introduction to the special topic
  • 20-minute facilitated brainstorm within small groups
  • 15-minute report back + larger group discussion

12:00-12:30 – Ethical Considerations: user preferences, data security, data democratization with panel discussion and audience Q & A

12:30 – Adjourn

Workshop #9

Time: 13:15-16:30

Title: Exploring Physical Activity and Nutrition through Action-Oriented Research: The Method of Photovoice

Room: Club H

Name of the Proponent: Mr. Colin Baillie

Affiliation: Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada

Other Persons Involved: Dr Kate Storey (University of Alberta, Canada), Dr Lucie Lévesque (Queen’s University, Canada)

Brief Description: Meaningful physical activity and nutrition research requires the active engagement of participants in the research process (Jagosh et al., 2015). As a result, a growing number of researchers are using arts-based research methods that provide participants with an opportunity to catalyze positive health-related change in their communities. As a method of inquiry, Photovoice uses participant photography and visual representation to capture personal experiences as well as identify community needs and strengths and has been used successfully to support new health programming, changes in health-related policies, and new research opportunities (Baillie et al., 2016; Hamilton et al., 2017). Despite the popularity of the method, Photovoice requires that facilitators have particular mastery in issues of participatory decision-making processes, ethics, photographic aesthetics and display, as well as group-based analysis. Using experiential learning techniques and examples from the presenters’ own research, this workshop will provide attendees with the skills and resources required to successfully engage research participants in a Photovoice project. Emphasis will be placed on practical strategies for using Photovoice in a way that is adaptable to a wide variety of populations and as a tool for knowledge creation that facilitates participant-driven healthy lifestyle and community changes. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Contextualize the Photovoice method within both arts-based and participatory research approaches
  • Use practical strategies to successfully engage their chosen target population in a Photovoice project
  • Demonstrate mastery in key elements of Photovoice (e.g. the ethics of photography)
  • Identify valuable Photovoice resources available to researchers

Introduction
Time: 20 minutes
Format: Didactic
Presenter: Dr Lucie Lévesque

  • Describe arts-based and participatory research approaches
  • Define Photovoice and provide an overview of the Photovoice literature
  • Identify the populations, behaviours, and settings that Photovoice has been used with
  • Discuss the anticipated goals and outcomes associated with using Photovoice

Physical Activity Photovoice Example
Time: 45 minutes
Format: Participatory
Presenter: Mr. Colin Baillie

  • Provide an overview of a Photovoice project in a rural and remote community in which participants explored the relationship between the environment and physical activity
  • Photos from the project will be distributed to attendees (with participant’s permission) to facilitate a dialogue about photo aesthetics and display

Nutrition Photovoice Example
Time: 45 minutes
Format: Participatory
Presenter: Dr Kate Storey

  • Provide an overview of a Photovoice project in a school setting exploring the impact of nutrition on sustaining a healthy lifestyle
  • A photography ethics form will be distributed to attendees to facilitate a dialogue about the ethical challenges of using photography as part of a research project

BREAK: 30 minutes

Photovoice at ISBNPA
Time: 45 minutes
Format: Experiential
Presenter: Dr Lucie Lévesque, Mr. Colin Baillie, and Dr Kate Storey

  • Participants will be given instruction about how to take photographs and what kinds of photography styles can be used
  • Based on a pre-determined guiding question, attendees will be encouraged to be active (i.e. leave the room) and asked to use their cellphone (digital cameras will also be made available for use) to take photos in the general vicinity of the workshop
  • After taking photographs, participants will be invited to choose photographs that they are willing to share in a mock data collection session

Roundtable Discussions
Time: 45 minutes
Format: Participatory
Presenter: Dr Lucie Lévesque, Mr. Colin Baillie, and Dr Kate Storey

  • In groups of 5 to 8 people and using their photographs as a guide, breakout discussions will take place around key Photovoice skills including: participatory decision-making, technology, group-based analysis, and dissemination

Interactive Question and Answer Period
Time: 25 minutes
Format: Participatory
Presenter: Dr Lucie Lévesque, Mr. Colin Baillie, and Dr Kate Storey

  • Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss real challenges to using Photovoice in their own research with presenters and fellow attendees
Workshop #10

Time: 13:15-16:30

Title: Using Your Research to Influence Policy: An Overview and Practical Strategies

Room: Club E

Name of the Proponent: Rebecca E. Lee, PhD

Affiliation: Arizona State University

Other Persons Involved: Elizabeth Ablah, PhD, MPH (University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, USA), Patti-Jean Naylor (University of Victoria, Canada), Andrew Milat, PhD, MPH (Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Australia), Elizabeth Lorenzo (Arizona State University, USA)

Brief Description: This workshop aims to fill this knowledge gap that many researchers experience by arming them with fundamental, practical ideas and strategies to help translate their research to policy. This workshop will provide an overview of policy frameworks, distinguish between BIG P and little p policies (P vs. p), demonstrate with real-world examples of how research can be infused in policy, and impart strategies that researchers can use to analyze and influence policy based on their own area of expertise. Workshop participants will work together in small groups to learn how to develop a policy topic, analyze a policy, consider the key players and appropriate audience, draft a letter to a policy maker, and write an opinion editorial (op-ed).

Background. Policy represents the rules and customs that humans use to govern ourselves. Researchers and policy makers often operate in different spheres; yet, both can benefit from drawing on each other’s experience. Although policy makers, implementers and enforcers, and even the policies themselves, vary by country, setting and desired outcomes, the general approach used by researchers to help guide policy follows broadly accepted frameworks and strategies. Researchers can bring systematic strategies to investigate curiosities that draw meaningful conclusions. These conclusions can be used to inform policy, improve the health of the public, and bring recognition to the importance of researchers’ work. Nevertheless, policy often outpaces research, missing opportunities to proactively guide human behavior with cutting edge science that in turn leads to improved health outcomes.

Overview. This workshop aims to fill this knowledge gap that many researchers experience by arming them with fundamental, practical ideas and strategies to help translate their research to policy. This workshop will provide an overview of policy frameworks, distinguish between BIG P and little p policies (P vs. p), demonstrate with real-world examples of how research can be infused in policy, and impart strategies that researchers can use to analyze and influence policy based on their own area of expertise. Workshop participants will work together in small groups to learn how to develop a policy topic, analyze a policy, consider the key players and appropriate audience, draft a letter to a policy maker, and write an opinion editorial (op-ed).

Activities. This workshop will draw on the expertise of our multinational panel (below) to describe how research can inform policies that enhance behavioral nutrition and physical activity practices across a variety of populations and settings. We will (1) provide a brief background presentation on frameworks that are commonly used to translate research to policy, such as knowledge translation and dissemination of innovation, as well as discussion of stakeholders and levels of analysis (P vs. p) based on real-world examples (30 minutes). Next (2), we will conduct break-out sessions to discuss how to employ the 5 Ws and an H (what, where, when, who, why and how) to identify a policy topic and who key stakeholders are, as well as values and science that can be capitalized upon to overcome opposition (45 minutes). Each group will be facilitated by one of our expert panel. Then (3), participants will receive individually tailored feedback from our panel to work through a structured process to analyze an existing or proposed policy in each participant’s area of expertise (30 minutes). Next (4), participants will develop working outlines for a letter to a policy maker and an opinion editorial based on their policy analysis using provided templates (30 minutes). The workshop will culminate with each participant providing a 2 minute oral summary and recommendation to the group to simulate an expert testimony to a policy-making panel (45 minutes). During the oral presentations, the group will have the opportunity to provide helpful critiques and reflect how future oral testimony might be improved for maximum impact highlighting the importance of each participant’s research.

The Panel. Workshop presenters represent a broad array of expertise, content area, and settings. Dr Elizabeth Ablah (USA) investigates policy, systems, and environmental changes in worksite health in the arena of multi-behavioral change. Dr Rebecca E. Lee (USA) has worked directly with policy makers and researchers to measure and implement policy in both physical activity and behavioral nutrition domains in children and adults in community, school and clinical settings, and she possesses considerable experience engaging key players using evidence based, systematic strategies to facilitate knowledge translation. Dr Joreintje Mackenbach-van Es (Netherlands) brings expertise in the analysis of policy influences on lifestyle and health outcomes, especially related to obesity. Dr Patti-Jean Naylor (Canada) is a scale-up and implementation scientist investigating the impact of state/province level physical activity policies (e.g. Director of Licensing Standard of Practice for Active Play; childcare) and food guidelines for municipal recreation and sport facilities. Dr Andrew Milat (Australia) is an expert on scalability of public health interventions embedded in a policy organization (NSW Ministry of Health). He is responsible for strategic research and evaluation support; facilitating the generation and use of high-quality population health evidence for policy-making; and knowledge translation and communication.

Learning objectives and conclusion. Although research and policy are separate expertise domains, researchers can learn simple strategies to facilitate the dissemination of their work into the hands of policy makers, to help guide evidence-based policy making. After completing this workshop, participants will understand two fundamental guiding frameworks and P vs. p levels of analysis for translating research to policy. They will comprehend the steps for completing a policy analysis. Last, they will learn two important dissemination strategies for infusing their science into policy. Participants will leave with practical ideas and strategies about conducting policy analysis and using their research to inform policy.