The Laredo Public Health Department will be represented at one of the nation’s largest public health conferences later this year after five of its research projects and presentations were selected for the American Public Health Association 2026 Annual Meeting & Expo.
The conference will take place Nov. 1-4 in San Antonio and is expected to bring together approximately 11,000 public health professionals, researchers and community partners from across the country and around the world.
“Our team has been selected to present five accepted research projects and presentations highlighting innovative work,” the department said in a statement. “These presentations reflect our continued commitment to advancing public health through research, collaboration and evidence based practices that improve the health of our border community.”
The accepted presentations include:
Poster Presentation — Mental Health
Addressing Mental Health Access Barriers Among Uninsured Latino Communities Through a Holistic, Community-Based Care Model
Session: Advancing Mental Health Equity Through Screening, Access, and Community-Based Care
Poster Presentation — Academic and Practice Linkages in Public Health Caucus
Expanding Pathways into Public Health: Evidence from Academic-Practice Partnerships at Laredo Public Health
Session: Academic and Practice Linkages in Public Health Caucus Poster Session #3
Poster Presentation — Disability
A Community-Informed Autism Needs Assessment in a Medically Underserved Border Region: Methods and Early Practice Implications from the 2026 Laredo Autism Needs Survey
Session: Disability Data, Measurement, Surveillance, and Access to Care for People with Disabilities
Oral Presentation — Public Health Education and Health Promotion
Implementing a Community-Based Chair Fitness Program for Older Adults in Underserved Border Communities: A Pilot Study
Session: Community-Based Physical Activity Interventions (organized jointly with the Physical Activity Section)
Oral Presentation — Latino Caucus
Glycemic Risk Among Latino Adults Identified Through a Municipal Screening Program in a U.S.-Mexico Border Community
Session: Latino Health Disparities: Leveraging Community Assets to Manage Care
“We look forward to connecting with colleagues from across the country and sharing the important work happening right here in Laredo,” the department said.
