The American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting filled Chicago’s McCormick Place from Oct. 31 -Nov. 5, 2015.  Several NUHS faculty participated in presentations and in the organization of events for APHA’s Chiropractic Health Care Section (CHC).

Dr. Dana Madigan, research resident at NUHS, served as program planning chair for the CHC, arranging all of the scientific sessions and group meetings. NUHS co-sponsored a social at the event for the CHC, as the section is celebrating its 20thanniversary.

Dr. Dana Madigan (far left) and Dr. Gregory Cramer (far right) with panel members
for interdiscipinary session on Falls in the Workplace

“We also planned a session in collaboration with the Occupational Health and Safety section as well as the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services section,” says Dr. Madigan. Moderated by Dr. Gregory Cramer, dean of research at NUHS, the interdisciplinary session addressed “Falls in the Workplace: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Prevention.”

In addition to the many presentations and sessions, the CHC participated in several policy resolutions in concert with other sections, encouraging non-pharmacological approaches to pain management.

Dr. Claire Johnson, editor-in-chief of the three NUHS journals serves as the CHC Communications Chair, while Dr. Bart Green, associate editor of the NUHS journals, is finishing his term as the CHC Section Councilor and Awards Chair. Both have been involved in APHA for over 15 years. At this year’s meeting, Dr. Johnson won a distinguished service award for her many and outstanding contributions to the CHC over the years.

2015 CHC award recipients, including Dr. Claire Johnson (second from left) who recieved
a distinguished service award, and Dr. Bart Green (far right), CHC Awards Chair

Below are presentations at this year’s conference featuring NUHS faculty:

• Anti-tobacco and Smoking Policy Statements: An Inventory of Major Health Profession Associations in the United States    
Claire Johnson, DC, MSEd andBart Green, DC, MSEd

• Development of a Public Health Model for the APHA Chiropractic Health Care Section   Claire Johnson, DC, MSEd,Bart Green, DC, MSEd, Lori Byrd, MS, Michael Clay, DC, Kim Khauv, DC, MPH,Dana Madigan, DC, MPH, Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, John Hyland, DC, MPH and Michael Haneline, DC, MPH

• Use of Neck Physical Training in Military Aircrew to Treat or Prevent Flight-associated Neck Pain: A Review of the Literature   Bart Green, DC, MSEd,Claire Johnson, DC, MSEd and CDR Ellis Gayles, PhD

• Evaluation of Public Health Related Policies from the American Chiropractic Association: Description of a Quality Improvement Process   
Claire Johnson, DC, MSEd,A. Carlo Guadagno, DC, Tony Hamm, DC, Karen Konarski-Hart, DC, Delilah Anderson, DC, MS, Michael Clay, DC, Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, Martha Kaeser, MA, DC, Eugene Lewis, DC, MPH,Dana Madigan, DC, MPH and John Nab, DC

• Association of Back Pain and Smoking: An Updated Review of Epidemiological Studies, 2011 – 2014   
Kim Khauv, DC, MPH andBart Green, DC, MSEd

• Intern Experiences Within a Chiropractic Clinical Trial Jerrilyn Cambron, DC, PhD, Jenniffer Dexheimer, LMT, BS, Manuel Duarte, DC, and Kaley Burns, BS.

Dr. Carlo Guadagno, on the faculty at NUHS- Florida, is a relatively new member of APHA, having joined two years ago.  He chairs the American Chiropractic Association’s committee on public health, which is co-chaired by Dr. Claire Johnson. “Attending the APHA convention in Chicago for my presentation allowed me to meet some of my Lombard colleagues at NUHS for the first time.”

Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron has been an APHA member since 1995, and is a member of both the CHC and APHA’s new section on Integrative, Complementary and Traditional Health Practices (ICTHP).” At this year’s meeting, she gave a presentation on how a clinical intern’s participation in clinical trials can develop increased interest in and a better understanding of clinical research.

To help celebrate the 20thanniversary of the CHC, several dignitaries attending the meeting stopped by to congratulate section members. NUHS student Anitra George had the chance to meet former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin. Anitra will be taking over the position of student liaison for the CHC – a position formerly held by Dr. Madigan.

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin (left) and NUHS student Anitra George (center)

Dr. Madigan, who also serves as secretary for the CHC, says: “Getting involved in APHA as a chiropractic physician or other CAM provider is a great way to be part of integrative medicine, especially from a policy perspective. This is where professionals from a wide number of disciplines meet to discuss and recommend national public health policies for the future.”