Society for Prevention Research Annual Meetings, 2022 - 2026

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Project Summary Since its inception in 1991, the Society for Prevention Research (SPR) has galvanized the growth and relevance of the field of prevention science. SPR has played a central role in prevention science’s identity formation as a self-standing discipline and professionalization of the field. SPR strives to improve the science of prevention intervention across all dimensions of behavioral, mental and physical health. By fostering the development of new methodologies and statistical tools, SPR promotes knowledge across time with longitudinal studies and prevention trials. The National Prevention Strategy, an important component of the Affordable Health Care Act, was adopted as a way of addressing the problem of preventable causes of illness and death and elevating prevention as an important focus for the country. The importance of prevention is further underscored by the fact that of the top 10 leading causes of death, seven are behaviorally based and preventable: tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, motor vehicle crashes, firearm use, unsafe/unprotected sexual behavior, and illicit drug use. These behavioral problems, if not prevented, can make their presence felt during the life course and lead to morbidity and mortality. SPR’s Annual Meeting fills an important role in promoting prevention science as a transdisciplinary field, bringing together scientists to promote cross-fertilization of theory, methods, and intervention with the goal of building the science of effective strategies for health promotion and prevention. The meeting features science that directly addresses a number of critical needs raised in the NIH Roadmap Science of Behavior Change Meeting, including (1) the use of multilevel approaches and understanding the effects of environmental contexts; (2) the use of approaches that target multiple outcomes and behaviors; (3) research informed by a developmental perspective, (4) research to better understand the mechanisms underlying behavior change; and (5) research on the development, dissemination, and use of innovative methods. Further, the meeting and SPR’s Strategic Plan have synergy with many NIH initiatives including data science, eliminating health disparities, and translating evidence-based prevention programs into practice settings. Consistent with SPR’s strategic goals, the aims of this proposed R13 application are to: Aim 1. Use the Annual Meeting to further develop a centrally integrated scientific forum for the exchange of new concepts, methods, and results from prevention research and related fields; Aim 2. Support the development of the next generation of prevention scientists through training, career building, and leadership development; and Aim 3. Ensure that the scientific developments emanating from the Annual Meeting have maximum reach and impact on public health.