PINK X - July 28-30, 2021
Chose to Challenge and Change the Field of Brain Injury
PINK X will bring together twenty leading researchers to explore current sex and gender research in the field of brain injury as well as six women to share their lived experience of brain injury. Listening to the voices of women who have experienced brain injury is an essential step to help translate the data found in academic research papers into actionable change in clinical settings.
Over the three days of PINK X, we will invite questions and engagement from conference participants concerning all aspects of brain injury in women and will provide opportunity to join in our discussions and ask questions of our experts as well as our panels of women sharing their lived experiences of brain injury.
Daily Themes
WED - Connecting Intimate Partner Violence and Women in Prison with Brain Injury
THUR - Why Sex and Gender Differences in Brain Injury Matter
FRI - Understanding and Dismantling Systemic Barriers faced by Black Women with the Lived Experience of Brain Injury and by Black Rehabilitation Professionals
Run Times
Wed 10 AM to 4 PM
Thurs 11:35 AM to 3 PM
Friday 11:35 AM to 3 PM
SCHEDULE - Times in EDT/New York/Eastern Time
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, July 28: Day #1 - Behind Locked Doors: IPV-related Brain Injury and TBI in Women in Prison
The pre-conference day will focus on women who have experienced brain injuries “behind locked doors,” meaning women who have experienced intimate partner violence and/or women who are incarcerated. Leading experts will present research and share ideas about how violence changes the dynamics of brain injuries for the patient, their care team and family as well as the medical professionals who treat them.
The morning session will start off with a presentation by Katherine Snedaker on brain injury in women and why this topic is important. Dr. Casper will give the history of gender differences and traumatic brain injury through the ages. This will include discussion of gender shaping and differentiating diagnostic, prognostic, and research outcomes. Eve Valera will discuss IPV related brain injuries and repetitive mTBI, and the negative outcomes for women. Leigh Schrieff will discuss IPV and TBI amongst women in South Africa. Nneka MacGregor will discuss her work in Canada with women and brain injury and IPV. This session will include a roundtable discussion with presenters and attendees associated with IPV related TBI, the current issues, and the future direction.
In the afternoon session, Dr. Huw Williams will discuss the traumatic brain injury and psychological trauma in women in prison. Dr. Thomas McMillan will discuss the traumatic brain injury and multimorbidity in prisoners through a holistic perspective. Dr. Sara da Silva Ramos will discuss the lessons in in brain injury from the criminal justice system. Betony Clasby will discuss the screening for traumatic brain injury, its current problems, and future solutions.
Our two roundtable sessions will facilitate discussion and debate about the best way to recognize, talk about, and understand brain injury in women, as well as what the most important policy changes are to prevent women with the lived experience brain injury becoming silent sufferers with a hidden disability.
Participants will leave with a toolbox of techniques for working with women with brain injuries and a knowledge of organizations currently working towards a more optimistic future in this field.
10 AM – 12:30 PM Intimate Partner Violence Related TBI: Current Issues, Future Directions
10 – 11:15 AM Research Associated with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Related TBI:
11:30 - 12:30 Roundtable Discussion
LUNCH BREAK
1 – 4 PM TBI in Women in Prison: Current Issues, Future Directions
1 - 2:15 PM Research Associated with Brain Injury in Women in the Justice System
2:45 - 3:45 Roundtable Discussion
3:45 – 4 Conclusion
THURSDAY
Thursday, July 29: Day #2 - Why Sex and Gender Difference in Brain Injury Matter
The day will open with leading experts presenting current research on how sex and gender differences are related to various mechanisms of injury, help-seeking behaviors by patients, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support, and ultimately, long-term outcomes. There will be an emphasis on how medical professionals can use this scientific research to develop “better” practices in the care and education of women with brain injury to facilitate recovery and positive long-term outcomes.
During this morning session, Katherine and Dr. Dams-O’Connor will discuss the historical background of the omission in brain injury research of women. Additionally, Dr. Dams-O’Connor will talk about current strides in research institutions are attempting to overcome the past lack of data. Dr. Leddy will discuss differences due to sex associated with sports-related concussions (SRC). Additionally, he will focus on how the different recovery protocols which will improve the overall outcomes of TBI patients. Dr. Adamson will discuss RTMS brain structure differences within imaging based on cortical thickness analysis between men and women with and without brain injury. Lastly, Rachel Rowe will discuss sleep and endocrine disruption after a traumatic brain injury. The session will closeout with a roundtable discussion between all the presenters.
In this afternoon session, Dr. Colantonio will discuss future research which needs to consider biological vulnerabilities as well as comorbidities and the interaction with the psychosocial environment. Dr. Master will discuss sex and gender differences in concussion in children, including potential contributing intrinsic and extrinsic factors, with a focus on identifying interventions on modifiable extrinsic factors that could level the playing field for girls in concussion outcomes. Dr. Pappadis will discuss gaps in research on Gender and Self-Identity after TBI in diverse populations. Dr. Valera will discuss her research demonstrating that IPV related brain injuries and repetitive mTBI in women in violent homes occurs at high rates and is associated with a range of very negative outcomes. The session will closeout with a roundtable discussion with the panelists and the sessions attendees.
The last session of the day will be a panel of women sharing their lived experience of brain injury with the goal of blending scientific findings with the patient perspective to improve research, policy, and practice overall. Listening to the voices of women who have experienced brain injury is essential step to help translate data in research paper into actionable change in the clinical practice of participants as well as the key to improve research and policy.
11:35 – 12:35 PM Sex Differences
11:35 - 11:45 AM Historical Background of Women’s Omission in Brain Injury Research
11:45 – 11:55 Sex Differences in Sports-Related Concussions (SRC)
11:55 - 12:05 PM Imaging - RTMS Brain Structure Differences
12:05 - 12:15 Sleep and Endocrine Disruptions after TBI
12:15 - 12:35 Roundtable – Sex Differences
LUNCH BREAK
1 - 2 PM Gender – Social Construct Differences
1 – 1:10 PM Research Needed Associated with Biological Vulnerabilities
1:10 – 1:20 Sex and Gender Differences in Concussion in Children
1:20 – 1:30 Gaps in Research on Gender and Self-Identity after TBI in Diverse Pop.
1:30 - 1:40 Research Associated with IPV Related Injuries and Repetitive mTBI
1:40 – 2 Roundtable – Gender – Social Construct Differences
2 – 3 PM Panel of Women with Lived Experience of Brain Injury
FRIDAY
Friday, July 30: Day #3 - How Systemic Barriers Shape Opportunities for Black Women with the Lived Experience of Brain Injury and Black Rehabilitation Professionals working in the Field of Brain Injury
The purpose of this day is to present research as well as personal experiences to bring awareness to the barriers that exist for Black Professionals and Black Women to achieve Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion in the field of brain Injury.
The day will open with four women with lived experience of brain injury sharing their brain injury journey. Bringing a voice to Black women with the lived experience of brain injury is key to improve research, policy, and practice. Our patient panel will share their brain injury journey and discuss barriers to treatment and then within the medical community.
After lunch, experts will present current research on the systemic barriers to opportunities that exist for Black professionals working on brain injury and Black women with the lived experience of brain injury.
In the second hour, our speakers will explore the need for more diversity, equality and inclusion related to race and gender within the field of brain Injury. They will offer suggestions for change and a call to action to the audience to accelerate the needed change to break down these barriers for both those who experience brain injury and the medical professionals who treat them.
11:35 AM - 12:35 PM Panel of Black Women with the Lived Experience of Brain Injury
LUNCH BREAK
1 – 3 PM Research, Panel Discussion and Call to Action by Black Rehabilitation Professionals in the Field of Brain Injury
1 – 2 PM Research
2-3 Panel Discussion and Call to Action
Questions? Email Katherine@PINKconcussions.org