Fast track abstracts: 
These undergo a rapid review process, making them ideal for authors who require early acceptance for visa and/or funding applications.

General abstracts:
These undergo the standard review process, making them suitable for most abstract submissions.

Late-breaker abstracts:
These undergo a rapid review process, and typically feature significant, late-emerging findings that contribute to the latest developments in epidemiology.

Abstract types

We accept two types of abstracts for WCE2024: Research abstracts and Programmatic abstracts.  Both types of abstracts serve as a way to communicate research findings or programme details to a broader audience within the field of epidemiology.

Research abstract: provides a concise summary of an epidemiological study. 

Key components of the abstract include:

• Background: A brief description of the research problem, its significance, and the gap in current knowledge that the study aims to address.
• Methods: An overview of the research design, data collection, and analysis methods used in the study.
• Results: A summary of the main findings or outcomes of the research.
• Discussion: A statement of the study’s implications, significance, and potential applications.

Programmatic abstract: describes an epidemiological programme, service platform or training initiative. Information presented in programmatic abstracts may not be findings of an epidemiological study; instead these abstracts present the unique features and/or learning from a programme in the field of epidemiology. 

Key components of the abstract include:

• Background: An overview of the public health issue or problem being addressed and the rationale for the program.
• Description: Details about the design, implementation, and evaluation of the programme, including any innovative approaches or strategies used.
• Outcomes: Presentation of the program’s results, including information on its effectiveness, impact on health outcomes, and any relevant findings.
• Impact & Lessons: Interpretation of the results and their implications for the field of epidemiology and public health more generally.

Abstract submission guidelines

Please keep in mind the following guidelines when structuring your abstract for submission:

• Abstracts are to be submitted via the Abstract submission portal with both fast track and general submission deadlines. Research data analysed emerging after the general submission deadline can still be submitted as a late-breaking abstract. For a complete overview of submission deadlines and important milestones, kindly refer to the important dates.
• Each section  of the Research and Programmatic abstract should be presented as a single paragraph, and section headings (see under Abstract types) should not be included within the text.
• The total word limit for both the Research and Programmatic abstract 350 words.

Abstract categories

All abstract submissions should be categorised under one of the specified tracks to streamline the abstract review process. If you are uncertain about which track best suits your abstract, please feel free to reach out to the WCE Scientific Coordinator for guidance. Alternatively, you may choose to submit your abstract under the ‘Epidemiology and Public Health’ section, which can serve as a suitable default category. This will ensure that your submission is considered for review while ensuring it finds its appropriate place within the conference program. We encourage authors to select the most relevant track to enhance the precision of the review process and to align with the thematic focus of their research.

	Subject areas	Description
1.	Aging epidemiology	Includes multifactorial changes associated with aging and health impact of aging societies.
2.	Applied and field epidemiology	Includes the application of epidemiologic methods and concepts in public health systems, including disease surveillance as well as investigations of disease outbreaks.
3.	Behavioural epidemiology	Includes research focused on health-related behaviours (such as smoking, alcohol, sleep, exercise, and risk factors related to diseases of lifestyle).
4.	Cancer epidemiology	Includes continuum of cancer epidemiology, prevention and control; and all malignancies (breast, colorectal, lung, nasopharyngeal, hematologic, ovarian, endometrial and prostate cancers).
5.	Cardiovascular and metabolic disease epidemiology	Includes research related to obesity, cardiovascular conditions, metabolic disorders (including metabolic syndrome).
6.	Climate epidemiology	Includes climate change epidemiology as well as major determinants of climate-disease associations (eg, extreme heat, precipitation, floods, drought).
7.	Clinical epidemiology	Includes the application of epidemiologic methods and concepts to study the diagnosis, natural history, management and outcomes of specific health conditions; global surgery topics and epidemiologic applications within health services evaluation are included here.
8.	Environmental and occupational epidemiology	Includes chemical, physical, and occupational exposures, including aspects of the built environment; molecular epidemiology of exogenous exposures are included here.
9.	Epidemiologic methods	Innovations in or applications of epidemiologic and/or biostatistical concepts and methods.  This also includes data sources and data repositories.
10.	Epidemiology and population health	Includes burden of disease, application of epidemiology in public policy; any topics that may not fit into other abstract categories may be submitted here.
11.	Epidemiology in media and communications	Includes approaches to and experiences in communicating population health issues and/or study findings in popular media; scientific communication in public health are included here.
12.	Genetic epidemiology	Includes the interplay between genetic and environmental components associated with diseases as well as statistical genetics.
13.	Infectious disease epidemiology	Includes research related to HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2, emerging infectious diseases as well as issues of drug-resistance.
14.	Injury and violence epidemiology	Includes the mechanisms of injury and violence including opioid overdose, motor vehicle crashes, falls, homicide, suicide, and natural and human-induced disasters.
15.	Lifecourse epidemiology	Includes long-term biological, behavioural, and psychosocial processes linking adult health and disease risk to exposures acting during gestation and early life.
16.	Neuroepidemiology	Includes organic brain disease, dementia, disorders of cognition, epilepsy, developmental disorders and related issues.
17.	Nutritional epidemiology	Includes nutritional determinants of disease and methods of nutritional assessment.
18.	Pharmacoepidemiology	Includes patterns of utilisation and adherence, safety signal detection, comparative effectiveness and cost-benefit/risk- benefit of drugs, vaccines, biologics, medical procedures, and medical devices utilisation.
19.	Psychiatric epidemiology	Includes the epidemiological study of psychological phenomena as well as research related to mental health services.
20.	Reproductive, perinatal and paediatric epidemiology	Includes patterns and determinants of health and disease in reproduction, maternal health and child development.
21.	Respiratory epidemiology	Includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and chronic lung disease (respiratory infections may be submitted here or in the infectious disease epidemiology track).
22.	Social epidemiology	Includes the impact of social, economic and/or structural conditions (eg, social inequalities, social relationships, social capital, and work stress) on states of health.
23.	Teaching and training in epidemiology	Includes pedagogy and curriculum development in epidemiology; design and operation of training activities; as well as general aspects of epidemiology workforce planning.
24.	Veterinary epidemiology	Includes One Health research and animal health related data.