2025 USCHA Abstracts
The 2025 USCHA planning committee has issued the Call for Abstracts to solicit proposals from people interested in convening a workshop or a poster presentation at USCHA.
When preparing abstracts, please follow all guidelines outlined in this site and submit required materials on or before May 5, 2025. The committee will notify those accepted as presenters well in advance of the conference dates and send them information concerning all applicable registration and presentation confirmation details.
*photo courtesy of Pexels
What is an Abstract?
A conference abstract is a document that pitches a presentation, workshop, or panel for a conference. It outlines the topic, approach, and how the session will benefit attendees. The goal is to convince the program planning committee that the session is relevant and valuable to their audience.
An abstract is a great way to get your professional skills, ideas, and portfolio seen by the public health workforce that will attend USCHA. It also provides the structure to describe your work in an impactful way that will be easily understood by your colleagues. We encourage you to review 2025 USCHA’s 10 tracks and submit an abstract related to one of those topics.
2025 USCHA Tracks and Areas of Focus
The 2025 USCHA theme is “Aging with HIV” and many tracks are aligned with this theme. You can pick any of these tracks to base your abstract on. While you can submit multiple abstracts, you have to select one track for each abstract.
(in alphabetical order)
Track 1: Advancing Research and Treatment for Older Adults
As the population of people living with HIV ages, research and treatment must adapt to address their evolving needs. While advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have extended life expectancy, aging with HIV presents distinct challenges, including chronic inflammation, accelerated aging, multiple comorbidities, HIV multidrug resistance (MDR), and increased risks of drug interactions and side effects.
Abstracts should focus on critical research areas, including healthcare and research representation gaps, HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), polypharmacy management, and the intersection of aging and psychosocial interventions.
Track 2: Aging with HIV- Political Determinants of Health
Political determinants such as funding priorities, policy enforcement, and legislative barriers can exacerbate disparities, while targeted policy interventions can drive meaningful change. This track examines how policies shape the health and well-being of adults 50+ living with or affected by HIV, highlighting the systemic factors that influence access to care, economic stability, housing, and social support.
Abstracts should explore the structural forces that impact health outcomes, strategies for equitable policy and program development, meaningful involvement of people with HIV and the roles stakeholder mobilization and coalition building can play to improve the lives of aging populations. Workshop delivery can be in the format of research, policy analysis, and community-driven approaches that address gaps in existing policies and programs as well as actionable solutions for systemic change.
*photo courtesy or Pexels
Track 3: Behavioral Health and Aging with HIV
Older adults living with HIV face unique challenges due to the virus and disease progression. These obstacles are exacerbated by stigma, social isolation, increased risk of mental health conditions, neurocognitive disorders, and the effects of long-term HIV treatment. This track covers key issues, including best practices for screening, treating and accessing mental health services to address neurocognitive conditions, mental health disorders, depression, anxiety, addiction, and community-based support.
Abstracts should focus on innovative programs that are incorporating screening, and treatment of mental and behavioral health in HIV settings. Abstracts are also encouraged from those in the field of behavioral health who wish to share insights with the HIV community.
*photo courtesy NMAC
Track 4: Biomedical HIV Prevention
Biomedical HIV prevention has expanded options to stop the spread of the virus. While the conference focuses on aging with HIV, this track will focus on PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis), Treatment as Prevention (TasP), U=U and START (Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Treatment) allowing conference attendees to learn more about new HIV prevention methodologies, approaches and research.
Abstracts should focus on and highlight the latest innovative programs and approaches in biomedical HIV prevention.
Track 5: Community Building
Community building plays a critical role in improving health outcomes, reducing isolation, and ensuring that aging individuals with HIV receive the support they need. Community-driven initiatives can empower people with HIV to help combat stigma, promote mental and physical well-being, and advocate for policies that address the unique challenges of aging with HIV. This track covers essential community-building issues, including dual stigma, aging-specific HIV programs, peer support networks, long-term survivors’ storytelling, long-time companions, community spaces, and engagement. Strong community networks and leadership are essential for improving the quality of life of older adults with HIV.
Abstracts should focus on community-based approaches and ways these can be replicated in other programs and communities across the United States.
Track 6: Comorbidities, and Multiple Chronic Conditions of Those Aging with HIV
The focus of care has shifted from managing HIV as a life-threatening disease to addressing the complex health issues that come with aging. Older adults with HIV face a higher burden of comorbidities, often developing age-related conditions earlier and more severely than their HIV-negative peers. This shift underscores the need for integrated, multidisciplinary healthcare approaches that address both HIV management and aging-related health concerns. This track aims to address cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic disorders, HAND and dementia, osteoporosis and bone health, kidney and liver disease, cancers, multiple chronic conditions, and secondary prevention.
Abstracts should focus on ways to improve screening, treatment and program integration. They should also seek to improve the knowledge and awareness of these issues for people living with HIV.
*photo courtesy Dami Or Photography
Track 7: Dandelions and Lifetime Survivors
The intersection of aging and HIV highlights a unique and often overlooked population: individuals who were born with HIV and are now aging into adulthood and beyond. Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have allowed many individuals born with HIV to live well into their 30s, 40s, and beyond, presenting new challenges in healthcare, mental health, and social support systems.
Abstracts should focus on HIV multidrug resistance (MDR) and long-term side effects, psychosocial challenges, disclosure and relationships, the transition from pediatric to adult care, reproductive health, and family planning.
*photo courtesy Pexels
Track 8: The Science of Sexuality and Pleasure
A fulfilling sex life with HIV matters. A focus on pleasure may not only guard against negative outcomes, but it may also contribute to positive outcomes across multiple dimensions of health. For the last four decades, sex has traditionally been a balancing act, mixing pleasure with risk of HIV and other STIs. However, biomedical medical treatment has changed things. This track focuses on sexual health and wellness.
Abstracts should explore sexual empowerment and sexual health, STI prevention and treatment, eroticism, the use of PrEP, PEP and other forms of sexual health and wellness.
Track 9: Systems Change and Workforce Development
Achieving sustainable health for people aging with HIV requires systemic transformation that is patient-centered and a well-equipped workforce capable of addressing evolving needs. This track explores strategies for systems change, including patient-centered approaches, policy reforms, program integration and innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and capacity-building efforts that enhance service delivery for older adults living with HIV. Workforce development is critical to ensuring providers are trained in age-inclusive, culturally responsive, and trauma-responsive care.
Abstracts should focus on innovative training approaches, policy shifts, and structural interventions that drive meaningful change in the HIV care continuum.
Track 10: Women Aging with HIV
For women aging with HIV, there is a major gap in the understanding of how HIV will affect their lives, and approaches to optimal care are not clear. Comorbidities (infectious and non-infectious) related to HIV or aging are not a unique concern for older women, but the approach to care and the understanding of the disease process may be influenced by sex/gender and race/ethnicity and thus there are some unique care and treatment needs that should be considered as women with HIV age. The care of older women with HIV must integrate biomedical, behavioral, and social science interventions. Our challenge is navigating a fragmented system or creating a model of care with a tailored approach for older HIV-positive women to move between a primary care provider, a gynecologist, and several specialists (HIV/infectious disease, cardiologist, neurologist, nephrologist, and endocrinologist, to name a few) for their medical needs.
Abstracts should focus on research, programs, and technology-driven solutions that promote and improve the quality of life for older women living with HIV.
*photo courtesy Disabled and Here
*photo courtesy of Disabled and Here
Abstract Formats
Abstract I: For Proposals Concerning a Specific Program, Project or Study
Title: Titles limited to 10 words
- I. Workshop Description: Describe the purpose of the program, project or study. (limited to 150 words)
- II. Methods: Briefly describe the methods or strategies used in the program. (limited to 500 words)
- III. Results: Describe the objective outcomes of the program, project or study. Include quantifiable data, if possible. (limited to 500 words)
- IV. Conclusions: State the conclusions reached as a result of the program. (limited to 500 words)
Abstract II: For Proposals Addressing a Broader Issue Area, Problem or Community Need
Title: Titles limited to 10 words
- I. Workshop Description: Identify the topic of the proposed presentation. (limited to 150 words)
- II. Issues: Dictating the specific issues, problems or needs it will teach or discuss. (limited to 500 words)
- III. Learning Objectives: Describe what the audience will learn from the presentation. (limited to 500 words)
- IV. Strategies, Methods, Models, Examples: Provide information about the teaching or discussion strategies and methods that will be employed. Include models or examples, if possible. (limited to 500 words)
Abstract Submission Deadlines
- May 5, 2025 – Abstract Submissions deadline
- June 2, 2025 – Abstract Notifications sent to submitter by NMAC
- June 16, 2025 – Presenter responses due
Abstract Development Guidelines
Presentation Titles are Limited to 10 words or less
- Workshop and Poster descriptions are limited to 150 words. This description, if accepted, will be used on all official publications.
- Abstract Formats
- Scientific based
- Community Based
- Presentations Types:
- Workshops – 2-hour interactive oral presentations.
- Posters – 4’ by 8’ placards for display
- Presentation Levels: Should be based on the level of knowledge your attendees need to understand your content
- Presentation Tracks: We offer a variety of Track topics, you are only able to submit your abstract once under the One Track you believe it best fits within.
- We do not accept abstracts from the pharmaceutical industry.
*photo courtesy of Pexels
Abstract Submission Tips
- Start Early
- Pick the topic or program that you are most well versed in for submission.
- Review the Track topics thoroughly and decide which track your topic best fits in.
- Do not submit the abstract more than once in the system.
- Do not submit one abstract to multiple tracks
- The submission of “work in progress” is discouraged. When submitting research abstracts should have their results analyzed and findings completed prior to and included in the abstract.
- Write your Abstract in Word before you enter in the Abstract Submission System.
- Fully write out acronyms before using them.
- For “Learning Objectives”, write them for what the attendee will learn by attending your workshop or poster.
- Eliminate ambiguous language. Cleary and quickly hit your points and stay on topic.
- Proofread your abstract for grammatical and spelling errors. Reviewers may score low if they are unable to understand your abstract due to simple errors
- Have a couple of colleagues read your abstract. Ask them if your abstract is clear and concise.
You’ve Submitted, What’s Next?
Decisions will be sent to all applicants on or about June 2, 2025. Please check your spam and junk folders to ensure you get the Abstract notification email. NMAC emails are often blocked from main inboxes.
If selected, USCHA only provides one (1) complimentary registration for the accepted abstract. Presenters will need to secure their own travel and accommodations. All co-presenters are expected to register for the conference as well. It is suggested you plan ahead so that your co-presenters can take advantage of early bird registration.
*photo courtesy of NMAC
Scoring Rubric
Your abstract is scored on the following:
- Interactive: Based on your abstract, will the presentation be interactive for the attendees
- Track: Does your abstract reflect the track’s description?
- Relevant: Is this appropriate to the Track?
- Innovative: Is this a new concept or idea?
- Essential: Is this information required?
- Clarity: How clearly did you describe the topic and explain the objectives.
The maximum score is 20. To ensure you get as many points as possible, please visit the Submission tips and the sample of a well written Abstract.
Presentation Types
Workshop Guidelines
Workshop presentations are 2 hours in length. Authors should be prepared to occupy the entire 2-hour period. USCHA does not group submissions into one workshop.
All meeting rooms will have projectors, screens, microphones & laptops. Please come prepared with our presentation on a flash drive. We recommend limiting panel presentations to no more than 4 speakers total. Please plan your workshop around the limitation of the presentation room.
Poster Presentation Guidelines
Poster materials will be displayed on a 4′ x 8′ poster board supplied by USCHA. Since a poster format is best when your material can easily be communicated visually, text should be limited to brief statements.
Posters should be professionally printed.
Each presentation should make a unified, coherent statement
Materials, both textual and visual, should be of professional quality and be clearly legible from a distance of four feet (4′)
4′ x 8′ poster board (landscape-oriented only)
