Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the scientific foundation of public health practice. It focuses on the core knowledge and skills of the discipline to provide a solid foundation for understanding the applied aspects of public health which you will encounter on other courses.

In this course, you will develop skills in describing and analysing epidemiological data, critically appraising study designs, and reflecting on different public health issues in a way that is informed by an understanding of epidemiological principles.

Who is it for?

This course will benefit students with interests or involvement in public health, health promotion, health research, as well as research-minded medical and allied health professionals.

Timetable

This course is delivered in the Autumn term, over a 10-week period, with taught weekly sessions between 10.00-13.00.

Benefits

You will develop skills in describing and analysing epidemiological data, critically appraising study designs, and reflecting on different public health issues.

This course may be undertaken as part of the School of Health Sciences Masters programmes, or as a CPD course worth 30 CPD hours.

Credits

This course is worth 30 credits toward eligible programmes.

This course covers the definition, scope and history of epidemiology, the fundamental strategies of  epidemiological research and measures of disease frequency and association. We examine the main epidemiological study designs, their strengths and limitations, and the ways that epidemiological data is analysed and reported.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Critically assess the key components of epidemiology (population, distribution, determinants, and control of disease)
• Estimate and interpret measures of disease occurrence and describe their association to different epidemiological study designs
• Critically evaluate the principles of different types of common epidemiological study
• Synthesise and evaluate theoretical models for causation and discuss the principles of causal mechanisms
• Identify and explain possible sources of bias in epidemiological studies
• Explain and critically assess epidemiological concepts within the context of different epidemiological study designs.

Skills

• Perform and interpret statistical analyses of population-based data to describe occurrence and distribution of ill-health and its determinants
• Critically review and criticize scientific literature regarding study design, results and accuracy
• Communicate knowledge of the determinants of diseases
• Outline and present an evaluation plan that includes methods of data collection and data analysis in relation to a public health intervention within a given area of prevention or health promotion, as well as a communication plan for the evaluation results under different scenarios.

Values and attitudes

• Identify and explain the range and complexity of the interacting factors influencing the health and illness of individuals and societies
• Exhibit an ability to make epidemiological assessments informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues as well as demonstrate awareness of the ethical dimension of research and development work
• Critically evaluate the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used.

Teaching will involve lectures and workshops in which a combination of individual and group-learning activities will be used.

This teaching will be supplemented by self-directed study using worksheets and exercises, which will be made available either via Moodle or via email.

The assessment for this course is a 3-hour examination of multiple-choice questions and structured extended-response questions relating to the topics covering in this course.

Credits

This course is worth 30 credits toward eligible programmes.

Non-EEA students can only apply as part of a programme, not as a stand-alone course.

• A first degree in a medical, health-related or social sciences discipline is required (minimum 2:1 honours degree, 3.0 GPA or an equivalent international degree)
• Applicants with equivalent qualifications or substantial experience in health services will also be considered on an individual basis.

English requirements

For those students whose first language is not English, the following qualification is also required:

• IELTS: 7.0

• Aschengrau A, Seage GR (2014) Essentials of Epidemiology in Public Health Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning
• Hennekens CH, Buring HE (1987) Epidemiology in Medicine Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Principles of Epidemiology:
• https://www.cdc.gov/ophss/csels/dsepd/ss1978/index.html and https://www.cdc.gov/ophss/csels/dsepd/ss1978/SS1978.pdf
• The Public Health text book
• Coggon D, Barker D, Rose J (2003) Epidemiology for the Uninitiated