Zahra Ali Padhani
As a PhD student with limited funding, I had not planned on attending the Preventive Health Conference this year.
However, I was lucky enough to be selected as a recipient of the Health Promotion Special Interest Group (HPSIG) Travel Award – giving me the invaluable opportunity to attend the conference face-to-face, in Darwin.
The plenary sessions were incredibly insightful, tackling immensely important public health issues.
We heard thought-provoking presentations from experts on the health impacts of climate change, vaping and tobacco control, and improving health and wellbeing for First Nations communities.
The workshops spotlighted crucial topics demanding greater research attention and taught us how to put theory into practice.
I learnt how to translate research into policy and advocacy initiatives – a critical step toward enacting meaningful change.
A poignant moment during one workshop was listening to lung cancer patients advocate for the inclusion of their disease in preventive health strategies.
Their emotional appeals highlighted how current prevention frameworks fail to sufficiently incorporate cancer prevention tactics.
I valued the concurrent sessions which featured both rapid-fire and long presentations across a range of topics.
I chose to attend sessions aligning with my interests, including on young people, reproductive and women’s health, and prevention challenges and lessons.
These provided invaluable insights into different health and wellbeing models, including integrated child and support-based approaches for improving women and youth health.
I also had the opportunity to attend the HPSIG Networking session, where participants discussed the importance of improving health outcomes for First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically diverse (CALD) populations to address prevailing disparities.
The discussion shed light on the multifaceted threats facing vulnerable populations and the urgent need for evidence-based action.
Prevention 2024 was also a fabulous opportunity to further build my professional network.
I developed meaningful connections with professionals in public health research and practice, fostering potential collaborations and knowledge sharing.
As a doctoral candidate, it was greatly rewarding to engage with esteemed experts I had previously only met online.
Equally valuable was networking with students from across Australia and learning about diverse public health research projects nationwide. Forging peer connections will undoubtedly benefit my ongoing academic journey.
As I reflect on this incredible experience, I extend my sincerest gratitude to Dr Aziz Rahman and the Health Promotion SIG for recognising my potential and enabling my attendance through the Travel Award.
This conference enriched my perspective and fortified my commitment to advancing public health equity and promoting wellbeing for all.
I look forward to applying the insights gained to my future research.
Picture: Supplied / Dr Aziz Rahman presenting Zahra Ali Padhani with the HPSIG Travel Award
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