Submit An Abstract

Call for Abstracts

Abstracts for presentations at the 7th annual conference of the Coalition for Global Hearing Health are now being accepted. The conference will be held October 23-25, 2016 on the campus of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. Please join your colleagues from around the world in working to achieve the mission of the Coalition: To promote and enhance hearing health services in low-resource communities.

At our most recent conference in Washington, DC, USA, (October 2015) delegates came from 21 different countries to discuss how we could work together to:

• Advocate for policies pertinent to hearing health care practices in a humanitarian capacity by directing professionals, students and stakeholders to existing policy
• Create guidelines on relevant topics in various languages (eg: cochlear implant candidacy in developing countries; telehealth in underserved areas; etc)
• Encourage dialogue and consensus amongst and between professionals globally to achieve topical policy
• Equip hearing healthcare professionals by educating societies and organizations on available resources and provide networking opportunities through regularly scheduled coalition conferences
• Empower families, educators, communities and those who have ear/hearing difficulties by addressing holistic needs within the context of the available resources found in the underserved region
• Perpetuate best practices by engaging recipients of humanitarian services in dialogue about their priorities, needs, and resources.

We hope you to join with us in Manila, Philippines at the University of Santo Tomas in what promises to be the largest and best conference of the Coalition for Global Hearing Health!

Submitting an Abstract:

To have an abstract considered for the Conference you must complete the online submission form by Monday, May 11, 2016. The online submission consists of a 300 word abstract, at least 2 learning objectives and the names and contact information of the presenter(s) and co-author(s).

Presentation Formats:
Abstracts for the Coalition for Global Hearing Health 7th Annual Conference will be considered for presentations or poster sessions. As part of your submission, please indicate your preference for presentation format for:

• A presentation only
• A poster session only
• Either a presentation or poster session

*If you choose "presentation only" and your abstract is not chosen by the planning committee for a presentation, the planning committee may request that you present a poster. However, you can decline this request.

Presentation Tracks:
Abstracts may be submitted in one of the tracks indicated below. The lists of potential topics are ideas only and not meant to be limiting.

1. Best Practices (e.g., recommended practices for education and habilitation services, guidelines for humanitarian/outreach trips, recent advances in providing high quality care in low-resource settings, etc.)
2. Technology (e.g., enhancing hearing health through better use of current technology and preparing for what's next in areas such as affordable hearing aids, using donated equipment, telehealth, smart-phone technology, etc.)
3. Advocacy/Community Engagement (e.g., epidemiological data, societal and/or economic impact of hearing loss, enhancing public awareness through traditional or social media, collaborating with governmental organzations, etc.)
4. Empowering Families (e.g., promoting a family and community- centered approach to hearing loss, improving services via parent groups, community -based habilitation programs, involving families in government organizations and professional societies, resources and materials that equip and empower families, etc).
5. Training/Education (e.g., effectiveness of online or university-based education and training opportunities for hearing health professionals, innovative ways of training and supporting people to deliver services in low-resource settings, characteristics of effective training, etc.)

Abstracts that are considered to be a commercial product endorsement in the opinion of the conference planning committee will not be accepted. All abstracts must be in English. All presenters must register for the 7th Annual CGHH Conference.

Notification about status of Abstract Submission:
Individuals who have submitted abstracts will be notified if their abstract has been accepted soon.

Abstract Review and Scoring
The Coalition for Global Hearing Health strives to provide all stakeholders an opportunity to identify areas of concern, promote collaboration, and share best practices. Conference attendees come from all over the world and include families, advocates, health care providers, educators, humanitarians, government officials, researchers, technology providers, and others. The goal of the CGHH conference is to advocate for hearing health services and policies, to equip and empower hearing healthcare professionals, families, educators, communities and those with hearing loss, and to encourage and perpetuate best practices.

Abstract submissions will be reviewed and scored according to the following criteria by the conference planning committee.

1. Relevance and significance to promote and enhance hearing health services in low-resource communities [1 - 20 points].
   • The abstract should address a current topic and information appropriate for the purposes of the conference.
   • The abstract should address important issues or gaps related to improving services in low-resource communities.
   • The abstract should inform, enable, or update others in improving hearing health services with regard to clinical practice, education of professionals/families, and/or future research.
   • The abstract should have the potential to advance the practice/ knowledge base of providing hearing health services to low resource communities.
   • The abstract should expand the discussion or perspective to build on existing knowledge or address new knowledge, discoveries, methodologies, tools, technologies, or practices.
2. Overall clarity [1 - 10 points]
   • The abstract should be well written and organized in a coherent manner.
   • The amount of information to be presented should be appropriate for the proposed session length and/or format.
   • The abstract should clearly describe the presentation's goals and learner outcomes.
   • The abstract should provide prospective participants enough information to determine if the session will meet their needs.
   • If research results are included, they should be clearly described and supported by statistical findings with the conclusions supported by the results.

Submission Agreement
Abstract submitters agree to the following terms related to the presentations/posters and their use by the conference planning committee:

• Understand that acceptance of the presentation/poster does not imply payment or reimbursement for travel expenses to attend meeting, including the registration fee.
• Agree to present this presentation/poster on the date, time, and track assigned by the conference planning committee on October 24 or 25, 2016.
• Understand that for presentations the following audio/visual equipment will be provided: Computer, LCD projector, screen, podium and microphone, Internet connection and audio link.
• Unless contrary notification is given to the conference planning committee by June 1, 2016, you grant all of the necessary rights to record each presentation/ poster in any audio and/or video formats, use each presentation/poster in printed, digital or electronic form, and make it available online following the meeting. Except as noted above, when Power Points are used as a part of the presentation, they will be posted on the Conference web site as protected Portable Document Format (PDF) files so the material cannot be altered.
• Agree to upload an electronic copy of the Presentation or Poster session PowerPoint™ presentations to the CGHH meeting website prior to September 26, 2016.
• Understand and agree that the conference planning committee need only notify the abstract submitter of the acceptance for the terms stated herein to be binding.
• Understand and agree that presentations and posters may be recorded, transcribed and or videotaped for the purpose of being used and distributed in various formats by the Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH).

Presenter Guidelines and Suggestions
Start by reading these tips from Jeffrey Cufaude's Blog entitled: Idea Architects

• Tip #1: Design With the End in Mind.
• Tip #2: If Content is King, Context also is Royalty
• Tip #3: The Best Content Begins with B.S.
• Tip #4: Great Content Is Necessary But Not Sufficient
• Tip #5: Valuable Visuals Offer More than Meets the Eye
• Tip #6: Great Slides Are By Design, Not Default

Then:

• If you plan on using interactive techniques remember to plan the appropriate amount of time required to allow your audience to interact.
• Create opportunities for participants to share with others and compare information, offer data, react to ideas, or answer questions.
• Help participants interact with the information you are presenting (interactive handouts with fill-ins and brainstorm lists).
• Allow participants to observe the subject or action you are presenting.
• Rehearse your presentation beforehand to make sure your presentation is not too long or too short. The actual delivery of the presentation usually takes longer than the rehearsal.
• The average 8 1/2" page, typed, double spaced with one-inch margins using 12 point font contains 250 words. The average speaker can present approximately 6 of these pages in 12 minutes. Have text that is highly legible with well-marked cues for visuals.
• Speak directly into the microphone in a normal voice and do not handle the microphone while speaking. There should be a comfortable distance between your mouth and the microphone. If you turn away from the microphone the audience may not hear your voice.
• During the question and answer period of your session, repeat all questions and/or comments into the microphone.
• Make sure to look up at the audience and shift your gaze around the room.
• Use active words, brief and concise phrases and short sentences.
• If you are using materials in your presentation (pictures, charts, graph, etc.) that are not original work, remember to cite the source.
• Give participants 3-4 seconds to adjust to a new image/slide before you begin speaking again. This will also give you a chance to take a deep breath.

Most common complaints attendees have of speakers:

• Spoke too fast. If you think you are speaking too fast, you most likely are. Speak loudly and clearly.
• Topic discussed did not match the information listed in the abstract.
• Too much information was presented.
• Did not speak into the microphone, mumbled or spoke too softly.
• Did not repeat questions asked by the audience into the microphone.
• Visual aids were cluttered and hard to read.

Power Point Tips

• Keep your slides as "clean" as possible - minimize text, logos and background pictures.
• Use no more than 8 lines of text in an easy to read, 24-point font.
• Avoid using all capitals, use bold or italics for emphasis.
• Clearly label graphs and charts.
• Use contrasting colors when choosing backgrounds and text colors. The best combination is a blue background with white or yellow lettering or white background with black or blue text. Avoid using red text.

Poster Guidelines and Suggestions
One standard size poster board will be provided for displaying your poster. You should bring all materials you will need to display the poster on the board. You may use push-pins or Velcro to mount materials on the board. However, if you plan to use Velcro, bring double-sided tape and apply it on-site. Other materials suggested for you to bring include: tacks, tape measure, scissors, tape, markers, and poster icons if you choose to use them. Bring copies of your complete paper or/and any other non-promotional materials/handouts to distribute to attendees.

Preparing a Poster

1. Create a sign for the top of the board with the poster title, author(s) and affiliation name. Sign lettering should not be less than one-inch (1") high (30-36 points).
2. Prepare a written summary of your project. It is suggested that most posters be organized to include the following sections:
   1. Objective(s)/Purpose of the study, project or activity
   2. Methods used conducting the study, project or activity
   3. Results of the study, project or activity
   4. Conclusions/Evaluation of the study, project or activity
3. Viewers should be able to understand your poster without listening to an explanation or reading a report. To improve readability of your poster, consider the following:
   • Text. Use a minimal amount of text. Focus on 2 or 3 main points. Use one-line phrases with bullets to highlight key points rather than full sentences. Break up large amounts of text with indented paragraphs and subheadings.
   • Type. Use large lettering, at least 3/8" high (24-30 points), but do not use all upper case letters. Simple, easy to read fonts, such as Arial, work best. If text is not readable from 3 to 5 feet away, the print is too small.
   • Graphics. Use basic charts, graphs, tables, clip art, drawings, symbols, color print and photos to illustrate key points.

*Posters must not exceed 42" x 42"

Schedule and Format of Poster Session

1. Poster Authors: Only authors who are registered for the 7th Annual Coaltion for Global Health Conference can display posters at the meeting.
2. Format: Posters are supposed to be an informal, "no lecture" format. It is not necessary to prepare a formal presentation-just be prepared to discuss any aspect of your paper on a one-to-one basis and to network with attendees.
   1. Attendees appreciate handouts. if you would like to provide handouts, feel free to bring them. Handouts must be non-commercial.
   2. Plan to be available at your poster to talk with meeting attendees during your designated Poster Session time.
3. Time and Location: Information on the exact time and location of the poster sessions will be shared once the meeting agenda is determined.
4. Poster Set-up/Removal: Poster boards will be available for mounting posters Sunday October 23rd from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM or on Monday October 24th beginning at 7:00 AM. Posters should be in place by 8:00 AM on Monday October 24. Posters must be removed on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 by 4:00 PM. Materials left after this time will be discarded.
5. Length of Session: Posters must be displayed during the entire poster session with at least one author available at the poster during the poster session. The exact day and time of poster session will be announced once the meeting agenda is determined. Authors are welcome to remain with their posters after the session, but it is not required.
6. Poster Tone: Displays must be content-related and reflect a scientific, unbiased, non-commercial tone.
7. Presenter Resources: The following internet sites contain useful suggestions for preparing effective posters:
   1. Poster Making 101
   2. How to Make a Poster Using PowerPoint