American Psychiatric Association Brings Annual Meeting Back to Hawai`i After 38 Years

More than 10,000 participants are expected at the 164th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) from May 14-18 at the Hawai`i Convention Center.

It’s one of the Center’s largest meetings of the year, with participation and world-class research from 76 countries.  In honor of the convention, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed a proclamation naming May the American Psychiatric Association Month in Hawai`i.

The APA is highlighting research that includes groups throughout the Pacific Rim, including new information on post-traumatic stress disorder among military families; psychological stress of disaster and trauma workers, including information from the most recent Japan earthquake; residual effects of historical trauma in Hawai`i, such as the introduction of Western diseases more than 100 years ago and the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941; and a look at the increased rate of psychiatric emergency department use by Hawai`i’s elderly.

As part of the “APA Gives Back Program,” registrants have donated more than $6,200 to Hawai`i nonprofit Mental Health Kokua, which assists people with mental illness achieve optimum recovery and the ability to function in the community.  The American Psychiatric Foundation is also hosting the Hawai`i Aloha Classic 2011 golf tournament in partnership with the Waipahu Aloha Club at the Waikele Country Club on May 13.

Healthy Minds – APA’s online resource.