A Year in Review: AUA SPH Participates in International Scientific Conferences Worldwide in 2013

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By the AUA School of Public Health

In 2013, the American University of Armenia (AUA)’s School of Public Health (SPH) gave 12 presentations in international scientific conferences throughout the world.

“By participating in these conferences, the SPH faculty and researchers share our experience with international colleagues and demonstrate our research and educational capacity,” said Dr. Robert Bagramian, AUA SPH dean. “These conferences promote international recognition of AUA in public health and health services research through collaboration with colleagues from various parts of the world.”

Dr. Vahe Khachadourian, research associate at the AUA SPH Center for Health Services Research and Development (CHSR), presented a research paper on posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol, and dignity as determinants of poor short-term memory among the 1988 Armenian earthquake survivors at the World Psychiatric Association Thematic Conference on Mental Health and Mental Illness: Focusing on Eurasia. The conference was held in Yerevan, Armenia in August 2013.

Drs. Ruzanna Grigoryan and Nune Truzyan, both project coordinators/research associates at AUA SPH, and Dr. Khachadourian received competitive full scholarships to participate in and present at the 13^th Health Impact Assessment International Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in October 2013. They presented the following projects: Determinants of Recovery from Post-Earthquake Psychopathology: A 23-Year Longitudinal Study; Health Impact of Family-Based Training in Homes with Tuberculosis Patients in Armenia; and Health Impact of the National Child Health State Certificate Program in Armenia.

In October 2013, Dr. Varduhi Petrosyan, AUA SPH associate dean, received a partial International Scholarship to attend and present at the 35^th Annual meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making (SMDM) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The conference theme focused on Medical Decision Making and Public Policy. Dr. Petrosyan presented her research on how decision making can influence diabetes care in Armenia.

In November 2013, Dr. Anahit Demirchyan, senior research specialist, Drs. Arusyak Harutyunyan and Ruzanna Grigoryan, both project coordinators/research associates, and Dr. Khachadourian received competitive scholarships to attend the 6^th European Public Health Conference in Brussels, Belgium and present several SPH projects, including:

• Nested case-control study of predictors of postpartum depression in a long-term cohort of earthquake survivors, Armenia, 1990-2012
• Interbirth interval and history of previous preeclampsia among multiparous women: a case-control study
• Risk factors for developing drug-resistant tuberculosis from regular tuberculosis in Armenia: a case-control study
• Loss and psycho-social factors as determinants of quality of life among survivors of the 1988 Armenian earthquake, a 23-year follow-up study
• Making hospitals smoke-free: a demonstration project in Armenia
• The prevalence of and major risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy in Gegharkunik region of Armenia
• Patients’ knowledge about coronary artery disease risk factors after coronary artery bypass surgery and adherence to medication and lifestyle in Armenia.

The AUA School of Public Health works actively to improve the health of the populace and health services in Armenia and the region through interdisciplinary education and development of public health professionals and others to be leaders in public health, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.

Drs. Anahit Demirchyan, Ruzanna Grigoryan, Arusyak Harutyunyan, and Vahe Khachadourian at the 6^th European Public Health Conference in Brussels, Belgium

Drs. Nune Truzyan, Ruzanna Grigoryan, and Vahe Khachadourian at the 13^th Health Impact Assessment International Conference in Geneva, Switzerland