Dear colleagues,

Please find the latest newsletter below. With this newsletter, I would like to remind you about the section's call for abstracts for the EPH Conference in Dublin later this year.

Newsletter March 2023

1. Reminder: Call for Abstracts - 2023 EPH Conference in Dublin
2. WPATH Standards of Care Version 8
3. International Women’s Day 2023
4. European Public Health Week 2023

1. Reminder: Call for Abstracts - 2023 EPH Conference in Dublin

The EUPHA section on Sexual & Gender Minority Health would like to encourage all members to submit new and relevant work on LGBTQI+ health as abstracts for the EPH Conference in Dublin (November 2023) to the section leadership, prior to the general submission deadline.

As in previous years, the section aims to draft several workshop proposals (including 4-6 individual presentations) focusing on sexual and gender minority health (SGMH) and submit these proposals on behalf of the section. If you are interested in joining a section-initiated workshop proposal, you are invited to send an abstract to the section leadership first. The section’s steering group will then review and organize the abstracts into thematic draft proposals. More information about abstract formatting and general submission can be found on the European Public Health Conference website: https://ephconference.eu/abstract-submission-10

All contributions that are related to SGMH are welcomed. We further encourage, but do not limit to, abstracts of work that are related to the following themes:

• Training and education of health care providers on LGBTQI+ health
• Gender-affirming health care and rapidly changing political climates
• Intersectional approaches to LGBTQI+ health
• Intracommunity stress – within-group discrimination and stress
• Resiliency & LGBTQI+ health prevention and promotion
• SOGIE status and neurodiversity

Please send your abstract to Dr. Van der Star (avanderstar [@] sdsu.edu) and Dr. Lovro Markovic (lovro.markovic [@] pm.me) by March 31^st, 2023. 

NB: If you decide to send your abstract to the section, please do not also submit the abstract using the official submission system of the EPH Conference. We will notify you whether your abstract is selected as part of a workshop proposal ahead of time. In this way, there will be ample time to submit your contribution as an individual abstract before May 1^st.  All proposed workshops as well as all individual abstracts will have to be scored by the EPH International Scientific Committee before a decision will be made on whether contributions are accepted as part of the conference program.

2. WPATH Standards of Care Version 8

Late last year, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) released the Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People (TGD), Version 8. These evidence-based standards for safe and effective gender-affirming health care represent the most expert, in-depth, evidence-based, and consensus-based guidelines internationally. The guidelines provide expert clinical guidance for healthcare professionals working with TGD patients to develop individualized, age-appropriate care plans to improve health and overall well-being. These standards expand upon version 7 by helping to further address the health and wellbeing of TGD people in a very broad sense, beyond criteria for hormones or surgery, including recommendations for previously unaddressed groups.

3. International Women’s Day 2023

On the eve of International Women’s Day (March 7, 2023), several EUPHA sections came together for gender equality in health and health care. Dr. Van der Star (EUPHA-SGMH president) joined a stellar panel of leading women in public health to advocate for a gender justice movement inclusive of trans and non-binary people.

4. European Public Health Week 2023

This year, EUPHA is organizing the European Public Health Week (EUPHW) from May 22-26, 2023. With the EUPHW, EUPHA aims to raise awareness of public health and promote collaboration among the public health community in Europe. The EUPHW centers around this year’s five daily themes (follow the links to find out more):  

• Monday May 22 - Mental health for all
• Tuesday May 23 - Diversity in health
• Wednesday May 24 - Access to care
• Thursday May 25 - Prevention and control of chronic diseases
• Friday May 26 - Global health emergencies and response

In case you are considering getting involved, please reach out to Dr. Van der Star (avanderstar [@] sdsu.edu) and Dr. Lovro Markovic (lovro.markovic [@] pm.me). We are particularly looking for ideas and collaborators for Tuesday (Diversity in health), but the section may also get involved on Monday (e.g., LGBTQI+ mental health) or Wednesday (e.g., access to gender-affirming health care).

Best regards,

Arjan van der Star, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Section President
EUPHA-SGMH

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