Volume 19: No. 11, December 2005

Calling all researchers who work with CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published the “Health Protection Research Guide 2006-2015,” and is accepting public comment on the document through January 16, 2006. The draft guide, weighing in at 150 pages, can be viewed online. APA needs your expertise on this issue. Please let us know your reaction to the plan and any suggestions by the close of business Friday, January 6, 2006, so that we can incorporate your concerns in APA’s comments. If you wish, you may register to enter comments online.

Among the goals addressed in the research agenda (with the document chapter number listed below) are:

III. Prevent and Control Infectious Diseases, including sections on behavioral, social and economic research in infectious diseases; and special populations and infectious diseases, particularly health disparities;
IV. Promote Preparedness to Protect Health, including sections o risk appraisal and adaptive behavior during an extreme event; risk and recovery in vulnerable populations; public health workforce preparedness; and communications;
V. Promote Health to Reduce the Burden of Chronic Diseases and Disability, including sections on health across the lifespan; child and adolescent development; reducing burdens of disparities in, and risk factors for chronic diseases among adults, older adults, and persons with disabilities;
VI. Create Safe Places to Live, Work, Learn and Play, including sections on environmental and occupational health, injury and violence;
VII. Work Together to Build a Healthy World, including sections on global prevention and health promotion;
VIII. Manage and Market Health Information, with sections on public health data and informatics, health marketing and health literacy;
IX. Cross Cutting Research, including sections on social, anthropological and behavioral sciences in public health; mental health and well-being; and social determinants of health and health disparities.

APA is surveying divisions to gather comments to this document, but would like to take comments from individual scientists directly as well. Please forward this email to any of your colleagues who might be interested. Please contact Pat Kobor in the APA Science Policy Office with any comments by January 8, 2006.