Advice on submitting an abstract to INHSU 2024

INHSU 2024 takes place from 9-11 October 2023 in Athens, Greece and welcomes submissions of abstracts with the objective of enhancing global health and quality of life of people who use drugs. Here, we speak to three researchers who have successfully submitted abstracts to previous INHSU conferences – and received top-ranked positions – to get their insider insights on submitting a successful abstract.

 

Submit abstract for INHSU 2024

 

We’d also recommend watching the webinar from the International AIDS Society on scientific abstract writing – which is full of practical advice on writing successful abstracts.

 

Sophia E Schroeder, PhD Candidate, Burnet Institute

Sophia E Schroeder, PhD Candidate, Burnet InstituteSophia’s abstract  “It’s a revolving door”: Ego-depletion among prisoners with injecting drug use histories as a barrier to post-release success” was one of the top-ranked at the 2019 INHSU conference and has since been published in the International Journal of Drug Policy (the title was different at the conference). 

What advice would you give someone when submitting an abstract/what makes a powerful abstract submission?

Approach the abstract with an understanding that it will require multiple drafts. Before I start writing I ask myself; ‘what is the main thing that I would like my audience to take away from reading this?’ And before submission, I check that this intention has been met.

It is also always good to consider the theme of the conference and the various sub-themes. Highlight the aspects of your work that align with these, to make it easier for abstract reviewers to understand the relevance of your work.

Having co-authors is great too because their input and feedback can greatly enhance the quality of your writing. If you don’t have co-authors, try and get somebody else to read and review your work.

Don’t be afraid to get creative but always keep your red thread in mind. In the end, you want to be sure that every single word in each section contributes to the main message, that the main message is not overshadowed by unnecessary detail, and that the aspects of your work which align with the conference theme are easily identifiable.

What is the biggest mistake someone can make when submitting an abstract for a conference?

This is a tricky question, but trying to cram too much information into an abstract is one mistake that I am prone to (which is why it’s good to have other people read it first).

Finding a balance between writing for a knowledgeable audience (including technical terms) and making sure your abstract is approachable to people outside your research area can be difficult. Trying to mould your existing work into something that “works” for the conference you’re submitting to is also something that I think is inadvisable.

Why did you submit an abstract to INHSU 2022/what were the benefits of attending?

INHSU is a great platform to connect with a range of people invested in the health and well-being of people who use drugs. I submit to this conference whenever I can, because of the diversity of perspectives and paradigms I get to be exposed to when I attend.

The strong participation of community/people with lived experience is a big drawcard for me to submit and attend INHSU, because I like that advocacy aspect and find that it allows for some really important (and sometimes challenging) conversations to be had.

I have attended INHSU a few times now, have established friendships with other regular attendees, and look forward to being inspired, networking and re-connecting with others’ in my field whenever I go.

 

Kristian Braathen Malme, MD, Specialist in Internal medicine and Infectious Diseases, PhD Fellow, Centre for elimination of hepatitis, Norway

Kristian Braathen MalmeKristian’s abstract ‘HCV Treatment Uptake Among People who Inject Drugs in Oslo: A Registry-Based Study’ was one of the highest ranked at INHSU 2022 and has since been submitted for publication.

What advice would you give someone when submitting an abstract/what makes a powerful abstract submission?

Spend some time to consider what you want to convey. What do you want people to remember after reading your abstract? When you’ve decided, write the abstract. Be concise, each word matters. Be sure to give the important points enough space.

What is the biggest mistake someone can make when submitting an abstract for a conference?

Well, as long as you are honest about the results in your study (and I take it for granted people stay away from scientific misconduct), there really aren’t that many mistakes you can do! If you have an abstract ready, send it in, the worst thing that could happen is that somebody reads it and can learn from your research.

Why did you submit an abstract to INHSU 2022/what were the benefits of attending?

I submitted an abstract to INHSU 2022 to distribute what we learned from our study. I think we, researchers, have an obligation to do so, to share what we learn. This is perhaps even more important in our field of research, where every lesson learned may be vital for someone else.

During the pandemic, I could only participate in conferences online, so it was wonderful to be able to attend in person. Attending physically gave me the chance to see all these people that had written articles I had read, but never met. It was great to be able to interact with fellow researchers from all over. I loved it!

Joanne Carson, PhD Candidate, Kirby Institute UNSW Sydney

Joanne CarsonSince receiving top-ranked abstract at INHSU 2022, Joanne has had two papers published ‘National trends in retreatment of HCV due to reinfection or treatment failure in Australia‘ in the Journal of Hepatology and ‘Increasing national trend of direct-acting antiviral discontinuation among people treated for hepatitis C virus 2016-2021’, which will be published soon.

What advice would you give someone when submitting an abstract/what makes a powerful abstract submission?

I think the most powerful abstracts have a strategic narrative, a clear and simple message that runs through the abstract from start to end. Innovative approaches to analysing data can also increase the novelty and impact of an abstract.

What is the biggest mistake someone can make when submitting an abstract for a conference?

It’s not easy to summarise an entire analysis in 300 words! One of the biggest mistakes is losing sight of the overall message and trying to cram in too many unnecessary details. Another mistake would be failing to emphasise what is new or different about your analysis.

Why did you submit an abstract to INHSU 2022/what were the benefits of attending?

Getting to hear about the work some of the most amazing and dedicated researchers from around the world are doing to improve the health of people who use drugs. INHSU provides a unique opportunity to share knowledge, meet other researchers and build collaborative networks.

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