Thursday, March 4, 2004
12:15 - 1:30 pm

1. Hazards of Publishing Meta-analyses: CONSORTing with the MOOSE in the Woods
Chairs: Lawson Wulsin

Though standards for conducting and publishing meta-analyses of clinical trials are well established (CONSORT), standards for the publication of meta-analyses of observational studies are less well known. Based on our personal experience and anecdotes from APS colleagues, meta-analyses of observational studies in particular face a hazardous trip through the dark woods to publication or grant funding. This roundtable discussion will present a few illustrative examples, solicit further instructive anecdotes from APS members, and review the available CONSORT, QUORUM, and MOOSE guidelines for publishing meta-analyses.

2. Stress and Rheumatic Disease
Chairs: Francis Keefe & Deborah Ader

At last year’s APS Rheumatic Diseases Roundtable we decided to adopt a “data blitz” format for the 2004 roundtable. A data blitz is an opportunity to present late-breaking findings from a study recently conducted by your research team. Each presenter in the Rheumatic Diseases Roundtable Data Blitz will have 5 minutes (strictly enforced) to present a maximum of 3 overheads. The theme of this year’s data blitz will be stress and rheumatic disease. Up to 9 roundtable participants who volunteer to present will step up to the plate before a rowdy group of fans (the rest of the roundtable attendees) and describe late-breaking results from one of their current research projects. Presentation time will be closely monitored and players called “out” by the fans at the end of each 5-minute period. The atmosphere will be informal, fun, and foster lively interchanges between the researchers and audience. Referees with be Drs. Frank Keefe and Deborah Ader, and there will be an opportunity for some brief discussion about research directions in stress and rheumatic diseases and NIH funding opportunities.

4. Being a Successful Researcher at Undergraduate Institutions
Chair: Chris Marco

Faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions face unique professional development challenges that interfere with their ability to conduct research. Examples of these challenges are heavy teaching loads, limited institutional resources and/or support for research, a lack of graduate-level trainees, and a limited network of health psychologists
within the same institution. Being a successful researcher within this environment often requires highly creative problem-solving. This roundtable discussion will provide an opportunity for faculty at undergraduate institutions to form a network of colleagues who share similar challenges and who can offer creative solutions to their unique problems.

8. The Use of Hypnosis in Medicine and in Medical Research
Chair: Jeanne Hernandez

Last year the hypnosis roundtable group reviewed and discussed how and why hypnosis can be a valuable treatment option in psychosomatic and other physical/medical conditions, with many handouts and references concerning medical hypnosis. This year, in addition to that, we can will review and discuss published articles of studies using hypnosis as the treatment or intervention -- for the purpose of designing and sharing appropriate hypnotic interventions for clinical use or in research studies

10 . Integrating Neuroscience into Psychosomatic Medicine
Chairs: Richard Lane and Margaret Chesney

The potential of modern neuroscience to expand our understanding of mechanisms in psychosomatic medicine is unprecedented. Yet, several barriers exist to forging a major integration between neuroscience concepts and measures and the science conducted by many researchers in psychosomatic medicine. For many APS members neuroscience is unfamiliar and foreign. Some of our members are finding that the concepts and measures add helpful dimensions to their research. Still others have added neuroscientists to their multidisciplinary research teams. This roundtable will explore this development and discuss possible advantages and disadvantages. If there is sufficient interest in facilitating neuroscientific research within APS, how should this goal be pursued? What are the priorities? What types of neuroscientific research are most important? How should we go about recruiting neuroscientists into APS? Our hope is to generate a discussion among advocates as well as skeptics to help APS address this area of potential growth.

Update on Early Career Award Mechanisms Roundtable Discussion -- Note that this timely roundtable discussion will include up-to-date information on the newly-released NIH program announcement PA-06-133, "NIH Pathway to Independence Award" (K99/R00), with brief presentation and discussion by program officers Donna Mayo (NIMH) and Paige McDonald (NCI).

 

Friday, March 5, 2004
12:15 - 1:45 pm

3. Mind-Body Medicine at the NIH
Chair: Michael Stefanak and Margaret Chesney

Dr. Michael Stefanek, Chief, Basic Biobehavioral Research Branch (BBRB) at
the National Cancer Institute, will present information on funding opportunities for "Mind-Body Research" at the National Institutes of Health. This presentation will include recent and planned funding initiatives, and a listing of program directors across NIH Institutes interested in such research. In addition, Dr. Stefanek will discuss a major initiative within the BBRB in this area, Biological Mechanism of Psychosocial Effects on Disease (BiMPED). While there will be a didactic portion of this roundtable, the intent is for the roundtable to be interactive and informal, focusing on a broad range of scientific and funding issues , in hopes of providing helpful information to all attendees.

5. Advancing the Case for Depression as a Risk Factor for Coronary Disease: Persuading the Skeptics
Chairs: L. Wulsin & B. Rollman

Though many within APS understand the evidence for depression as a risk factor for coronary disease, most cardiologists and primary care clinicians remain skeptical and unfamiliar with the evidence. This roundtable will discuss strategies for advancing the case for depression as a risk factor for coronary disease, with a focus on reaching the skeptics within medicine and among the public. These strategies include a) efforts to influence future national research agendas to focus on addressing the remaining questions about the evidence, b) conducting formal debates in primary care and cardiology conferences and publications, and c) raising awareness among the general public through lay publications, talk show presentations, and dissemination of patient education materials. What role can the APS and APS members play? As an example we will briefly discuss Lawson Wulsin's efforts to write a popular science book for the general reader on this subject. We will also discuss possible presentations at other interested societies, such as the Society for General Internal Medicine annual meetings. What are your ideas?
Outcomes could include future meeting presentations, recommendations to the APS Council, publications plans, and research advocacy efforts.

6. Publishing in Scientific Journals
Chairs: Dave Sheps, Editor of Psychosomatic Medicine; Arthur Stone, Editor of Health Psychology; Ken Freedland, Associate Editor of Psychosomatic Medicine; & Bob Kaplan, Editor of Annals

There will be a roundtable discussion on the subject Publishing in Scientific Journals, which will be chaired by David Sheps, Editor of Psychosomatic Medicine, Arthur Stone, Editor of Health Psychology, Ken Freedland, Associate Editor of Psychosomatic Medicine, and Bob Kaplan, Editor of The Annals. The purpose of this roundtable will be to provide an informal forum for discussion on any questions and issues that may be of interest to the attendees. There will be no specific formal presentations made by the Editors, and topics for discussion will depend solely on the interest of the attendees.

7. Gastrointestinal Disorders Interest Group
Chair: Susan Levenstein

All researchers and clinicians interested in mind-body interactions in GI disorders are invited to participate and to network.

9. Discussion of the Importance and Role that Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) Should Have in Forming the Evidence-Base for Clinical Interventions in Psychosomatic Medicine
Chairs: Karina Davidson, Peter G. Kaufmann & Michael Goldstein

Disparate and even competing philosophies are held regarding the importance and role that controlled, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) should have in forming the evidence-base for clinical interventions in psychiatry, psychosomatic, and behavioral medicine. We proposed a public conversation about these issues among members of an evidence-based medicine committee who have discussed these issues over the past three years.

11. An Update: Biopsychosocial consequences of disaster and terrorism
Chairs: Joan Broderick and Steven Locke

A forum to discuss emerging data on the psychosocial consequences of disaster and terrorism. Several individuals involved in discussions at a national level will provide an overview of the current state of research and effort underway. DIscussion will focus on gaps in current knowledge and the importance of biomedical as well as psychosocial outcomes.