Fundamentals of Epidemiology

POPH60991 Fundamentals of Epidemiology 15 Semester 1 Postgraduate Taught Level 6 Tracey Farragher Unit coordinator Mark Johnson Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 7.5 Epidemiology is the core scientific skill for the practice of quantitative public health, that has been adopted by clinicians as the scientific basis on which quantitative evidence-based practice is built. This course is therefore relevant to current or future professionals involved with either conducting quantitative health-related research or interpreting the findings of quantitative research studies.In this course students will learn about the discipline of epidemiology, and its applications to public health. Students will be introduced to common types of observational study designs including ecological studies, cross-sectional surveys, case-control studies, cohort studies and intervention studies. The course covers the appropriate methods of measuring and comparing risk in each type of study as well as the limitations of epidemiological studies and how to minimise systematic errors and biases when conducting epidemiological studies.This is an interactive online course. Students must work through the online course material. Students are expected to engage in weekly exercises via discussion boards with their peers and tutors  In this course students will learn about the discipline of epidemiology, and its applications to public health. Students will be introduced to common types of observational study designs including ecological studies, cross-sectional surveys, case-control studies, cohort studies and intervention studies. The course covers the appropriate methods of measuring and comparing risk in each type of study as well as the limitations of epidemiological studies and how to minimise systematic errors and biases when conducting epidemiological studies.This is an interactive online course. Students must work through the online course material. Students are expected to engage in weekly exercises via discussion boards with their peers and tutors. The aim of this course is for students to acquire an understanding of basic epidemiological methods for the purpose of participating in the design of epidemiological studies and critically appraising the medical literature. Design and interpret epidemiological studies.Understand the methods used in the commonly used epidemiological studies, including their advantages and disadvantages.Understand the selection of appropriate samples and populations in epidemiological studies.Calculate and interpret the common measures of morbidity and mortality of diseases within a population, including age standardisation.  Calculate and interpret the different effect measures of risk, and how this relates to understanding disease causation.Identify sources of bias and measurement error, and methods to address them in epidemiological studies.Understand the concepts of confounding and effect modification, and the methods to identify and account for them in epidemiological studies.  Apply epidemiological thinking when conducting or reviewing research in professional practice.  Perform calculation of key epidemiological measures.  Manage time and work to deadlines.Develop a critical approach to conducting and interpreting epidemiological studies.  Analytical skills Students will develop analytical skills by learning about the strengths and limitations of common types of observational study designs such as ecological studies, cross-sectional surveys, case-control studies, cohort studies and intervention studies. They will learn how to critically appraise these studies in the medical literature. Innovation/creativity Students will design their own epidemiological study addressing a specific research question that they will identify Research In this module students will develop research skills by learning how to choose and design the appropriate epidemiological study design to use to answer particular research questions. They will also learn how to analyse data collected in epidemiological studies and how to interpret epidemiological data. Topic 1: Understanding Causation and Defining a Research Question  Topic 2: Measures of Morbidity and Mortality (including standardisation)Topic 3: Descriptive StudiesTopic 4: Case-Control StudiesTopic 5: Cohort StudiesTopic 6: Intervention Studies  Topic 7: Selecting Populations and Samples: Sampling MethodsTopic 8: Measurement Error: Validity and ReliabilityTopic 9: Bias, Confounding and Effect ModificationTopic 10: Practical Study Design and Ethical Issues, Dissemination and Implementation.  All materials are online and require the students to work through teaching on the virtual learning platform including self-tests, discussion board activities and quizzes. The course consists of 10 weekly topics with links to external web materials and reference to reading materials. There are also tasks that require students to participate in weekly exercises  - these exercises will be discussed and supported on the online discussion boards and moderated by the course unit leaders and teaching assistants.  At the end of most topics there is also a self-test which provides a more in-depth test of students’ understanding of the course material . Automated feedback is provided for the self-tests.There will be 10 webinars that will be recorded to allow asynchronous learning.For all students in line with guidance from the Office for Students and Quality Assurance Agency, the programme will be augmented by the Programme Director Seminar Series to deliver study skills, written English, academic writing, research skills, critical thinking and understanding arguments, careers and employability skills, revision/assessment/examination skills including time management.There will be regular interaction with the tutors through scheduled webinars (which will be recorded and made available) and through the online discussion boards. Students will be encouraged to use self-reflection to think about the ideas discussed, and take part in discussion board activities. Students should work through the unit in a logical sequence. The individual course unit timetables will guide what should be done and when. Participation in the discussion boards is greatly encouraged, and can help enhance your learning experience and prepare you for your assessment.In line with guidance from the Office for Students and Quality Assurance Agency, the programme will be augmented by the Programme Director Seminar Series to deliver study skills, written English, academic writing, research skills, critical thinking and understanding arguments, careers and employability skills, revision/assessment/examination skills including time management.  3 Report 100% As a mid-term formative assessment, students will have the opportunity to present an outline of their proposed study and receive formative feedback on their proposal to provide support for the final summative assignment.  Students will be provided with feedback and model solutions to each weekly exercise. For the final summative assignment  personalised feedback will be provided within 20 working days of submission.Further opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) will also be provided during the course unit in the weekly exercises via discussion boards and the online material (self-tests). PG Dip in Public Health PGDp Pub.Hlth (Public Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp Pub.Hlth (Global Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp Public Health (Imp Sci) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp PH (Environmental Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp PH Occupational Health PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp PH (Communicable Disease) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp PH (Dental PH) PGDT Taught Component Mandatory PG Dip in Public Health PGDp PH Evidence Based Healthc PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health PGDp PH (Health Sciences) PGDT Taught Component Optional Public Health Prof Dev Public Health Prof Dev PGDT Taught Component Optional Public Health Prof Dev Public Health Prof Dev (ACF) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (60) MRes Primary Care (60) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (60) MRes Public Health (60) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (60) MRes Primary Care (ACF) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (60) MRes Public Health (ACF) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (60) MRes Dental Public Health PGDT Taught Component Mandatory Masters of Research (12) MRes Primary Care (12) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (12) MRes Public Health (12) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (12) MRes Dental Public Health PGDT Taught Component Mandatory PG Cert in Public Health PG Cert in Public Health PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PG Cert PH (Global Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCert PH (Imp Science) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCt PH (Environment & PH) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCert Pub Health (Occ Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCt PH (Communicable Disease) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCert PH (Dental PH) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCert Public Health (EBH) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Cert in Public Health PGCert PH (Health Sciences) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Public Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Global Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (GH - ACF) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (PH - ACF) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH Implementation Science PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Environment and PH) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Occupational Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Communicable Disease) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Dental Public Health) PGDT Taught Component Mandatory MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (EBH) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH (Health Sciences) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (60) MPH DPH60 - ACF PGDT Taught Component Mandatory MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Public Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Global Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH Implementation Science PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Environmen & PH) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Occupational Health) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Communicable Disease) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Dental Public Health) PGDT Taught Component Mandatory MPH: the evidence bsd app (12) MPH (Health Sciences) PGDT Taught Component Optional MSc Investig Ophthal & Vis Sci MSc Investig Ophthal & Vis Sci PGDT Taught Component Optional MSc Investig Ophthal & Vis Sci MSc Inv Ophthal & Vis Sci (24) PGDT Taught Component Optional PG Dip in Public Health FT PG Dip Public Health (PH) FT PGDT Taught Component Optional MRes Medical Sciences (IAT) MRes Medical Sciences (IAT) PGDT Taught Component Optional MSc Clinical Pharmacy MSc Clinical Pharmacy PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH (Public Health) (24) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH (Global Health) (24) PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH - Implementation Sci 24 PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH - Environment & PH 24 PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH Occ Health 24 PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH Communicable Disease 24 PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH Dental Public Health 24 PGDT Taught Component Mandatory MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH Evidence Based Health 24 PGDT Taught Component Optional MPH: the evidence bsd app (PT) MPH Health Sciences 24 PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (PT) MRes Public Health (24) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (PT) MRes Primary Care (24) PGDT Taught Component Optional Masters of Research (PT) MRes DPH - 24 PGDT Taught Component Mandatory MSc Paediatric Anaesthesia MSc Paediatric Anaesthesia PGDT Taught Component Mandatory PG Dip Paediatric Anaesthesia PG Dip Paediatric Anaesthesia PGDT Taught Component Mandatory N Raj S. Bhopal. Concepts of Epidemiology: Integrating the Ideas, Theories, Principles, and Methods of Epidemiology. Publisher:Oxford University Press (15 Nov. 2016); 1520. (available as an e-book via Koretext)Lash, T.L. (2021). Modern epidemiology. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.Coggon D (David). Epidemiology for the Uninitiated . 5th ed. (Rose G, Barker DJP (David JP, eds.). BMJ Publishing; 2003Bonita R. Basic Epidemiology. 2nd ed. (Beaglehole R, Kjellström T, eds.). World Health Organization; 2006. OVP  eAssessment 50 Seminars 10 0 90 If you have any questions about the content of this unit, please contact the course unit leaders, Tracey Farragher ((tracey.farragher@manchester.ac.uk) or Mark Johnson (mark.johnson-8@manchester.ac.uk).If you have any other queries, please contact the PGT programme administrators via email on SHS.programmes@manchester.ac.uk.