On behalf of the Scientific Committee of the STI & HIV 2021 World Congress, Joint Meeting of the 24th ISSTDR & 22nd IUSTI Congress, we would like to thank you for your interest in submitting an abstract for this first virtual congress. Practice-based abstracts from community members and/or professionals are especially welcomed.
Important Deadlines
• Abstract Submission Deadline: February 8, 2021 (23:59 CET)
• Scholarship Application Deadline: February 8, 2021 (23:59 CET)
• Abstract Notifications: March 22, 2021
• Abstract Scholarship Notifications: March 22, 2021
• Late Breaking Abstract Submission Deadline: March 22, 2021 (23:59 CET)
• Presenting Author Registration Deadline: April 5, 2021 (23:59 CET)
• Late Breaking Abstract Notifications: April 5, 2021
• Early Registration Deadline: April 5, 2021
Abstract Submission Guidelines
• All submissions must be made online by February 8, 2021 (23:59 CET)
• Note there are two abstract Template Options; Research-Based Abstract Template and Practice-Based Abstract
Template (more on practice-based abstracts can be found here).
• If an abstract is accepted for presentation, the presenting author must be available for online recording
beforehand, and to address questions from participants during the conference.
• The presenting author will be required to register for the Congress by April 5, 2021 in order to have the abstract
acceptance confirmed. If a presenting author is not registered by April 5, 2021, the Scientific Committee will
remove the abstract from the program.
• All abstracts will be reviewed, scored and accepted or rejected by the Scientific Committee. The Committee
reserves the right to determine whether an abstract submission is accepted as an oral presentation or poster. The
decision of the Committee is final.
General Guidelines
• Abstracts should contain new information and not have been presented in a peer reviewed journal before.
• We strongly discourage submission of abstracts that contain incomplete data and/or analysis.
• All abstracts must be submitted in ENGLISH.
• To be inclusive towards community members, we strongly encourage to use “people first” language. Please
check the NIAID HIV language guide.
• Specify all abbreviations in full at the first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Use the
abbreviation thereafter.
• Check abstract thoroughly for spelling and grammar.
• Do not include references.
• Abstract presenters who are not scholarship recipients will be required to fund in full their own attendance at the
Congress (including Congress registration) and should not accept to present an abstract if this is not possible.
• Please indicate at the time of abstract submission if you wish to apply for a scholarship. Please see the
scholarship information for further details.
Congress Registration
Any presenter that is not registered by April 5, 2021 (23:59 CET) will automatically be withdrawn from the program
and their abstract will be removed from the program.
All Abstracts MUST include
• TITLE: Maximum 20 words
• TOPIC/SUBMISSION CATEGORIES:
o Basic Science & Translational Research
o Clinical Science
o Epidemiology & Monitoring
o Policy & Community Engagement
o Behavioral & Social Science
o Program & Implementation Science
• AUTHORS:
o Include affiliations
o Indicate the author who will present the paper (only 1 person)
o Omit degrees and titles
• BODY OF A RESEARCH-BASED ABSTRACT:
A research-based abstract brings original research findings, case studies, completed projects and theoretical
analyses. Abstracts should be well structured, rigorous and demonstrate a novel contribution to knowledge.
o Maximum 300 words (authors and title not included)
o Abstract must be structured as follows:
o Background: study objectives, hypothesis tested, or description of problem.
o Methods: method used, or approach taken.
o Results: present in summarized form, must include data and/or substantial information about results, but do
not include tables, graphs or pictures.
o Conclusion: description of main outcomes of the study. Include knowledge or insight that Congress
attendees will gain from the presentation, and an explanation of how Congress attendees can apply the skills
and/or knowledge within their communities.
• BODY OF A PRACTICE-BASED ABSTRACT:
A practice-based abstract analyses issues and solutions to problems in clinical practice, community engagement,
education, health promotion and policy. Abstracts should be well structured, rigorous and demonstrate a novel
contribution to knowledge and practice (more on practice-based abstracts can be found here).
o Maximum 300 words (authors and title not included)
o Submissions may use the Background/Purpose; Approach; Outcomes/Impact; Innovation and significance
format from the Research-Based Abstract or the following headings:
o Background/Purpose: describe the problem and outline the program or policy aims.
o Approach: outline the main components of the program or policy.
o Outcomes/Impact: Include concrete observations and findings of the social community or political impact of
your work based on completed or ongoing work.
o Innovation and significance: Explain why your program or policy is unique and of significance, including why
this program or policy is an important response to current STI and/or HIV-related health priorities.
Disclosure of Interest
ISSTDR and IUSTI recognize the considerable contribution that industry partners make for professional and
research activities. We also recognize the need for transparency and the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
by acknowledging these relationships in publications and presentations.
You will need to provide disclosure information for each author at the time of abstract submission. This statement
will not count towards the 300 word limit. If your abstract is accepted, you will be requested to include a Disclosure of
Interest statement in your oral or poster presentation.
By submitting an abstract, all authors agree to release the license to the Congress organizers and give permission to
publish the abstract in an international journal and on the website (and by doing so, certify that the abstract is original
work).
Selection criteria
Research-Based Abstracts will be favoured at review if they incorporate:
• Completed rather than future work (Outline data as known at the time of submission however other studies that
have final results may be prioritised for presentation)
• Community-based participatory research or other strategies to engage priority populations in research
methodology.
• Original data of high quality.
• An analysis that extends existing knowledge
• Clarity of methodology, analysis and presentation of results
• Specific rather than general findings
• Highlight steps that take research into practice
Practice-Based Abstracts will be favoured at review if they incorporate:
• Community engaged approaches to 1) identify target problem, 2) develop program/policy aims or objectives, 3)
implement program/policy, or 4) evaluate outcomes
• A program or policy change that is new, innovative and/or of high impact
• A program that has been successfully implemented (either completed or ongoing)
• An analysis of the program or policy change that extends current thinking or ideas
• Clarity about the evidentiary basis for the program
• Clarity with which the program purpose, approach, impact and significance has been described
LATE BREAKING ABSTRACTS
The Congress organizers are interested in attracting the latest and strongest scientific findings in STI and HIV
research. You are invited to submit a Late Breaking Abstract reporting on your research in the format specified in the
Late Breaking guidelines.
Late Breaking Abstract Submission Guidelines Please follow the Abstract Submission Guidelines outlined above.
Selection Criteria:
• Late Breaking Abstracts must present original data of the highest methodological standards. For example, for
a clinical or epidemiology presentation, the main results of a randomized controlled trial or large observational
study would be eligible for consideration.
• The topic of the research should be of the strongest interest to the Congress delegates.
• The body of the abstract must clearly indicate that data collection for the research was still underway in 2021 or
late 2020, if a complex analysis was required.
• Abstracts that do not explicitly meet these requirements will not be sent for review.
Late Breaking Abstract Submission Deadline: March 22, 2021 (23:59 CET).
Please note: Late breaking abstract presenters will be required to register. No scholarships are available for late
breaker abstract presentations. Final selection of Late Breaking Abstracts will be done by Scientific Committee
members. Notification of acceptance or non-acceptance of abstracts will be sent to the submitting author by April 5,
2021.
CONTACT
For inquiries, please contact stihiv2021@congresscare.com