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Epidemiology I

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:8.00
Study Course Accepted:21.06.2023 15:55:17
Study Course Information
Course Code:SVUEK_063LQF level:Level 7
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Clinical Medicine; Public HealthTarget Audience:Public Health
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Solvita Kļaviņa-Makrecka
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:Department of Public Health and Epidemiology
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:Riga, 9 Kronvalda boulevard, svekatrsu[pnkts]lv, +371 67338307
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)4Lecture Length (academic hours)1Total Contact Hours of Lectures4
Classes (count)5Class Length (academic hours)4Total Contact Hours of Classes20
Total Contact Hours24
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Public health, statistics, basic epidemiology – according to the content of bachelor study programmes in Health Care specialties.
Objective:
To strengthen knowledge in basic epidemiology allowing to proceed with studying more advanced theoretical concepts and application of more sophisticated epidemiological methods in the course "Epidemiology II".
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Epidemiology. Causation.Lectures1.00auditorium
2Basic epidemiologic measures. Crude, specific rates. Case fatality rate. Proportionate mortality.Lectures1.00auditorium
Classes1.00auditorium
3Standardization. Designs of epidemiological studies.Lectures1.00auditorium
Classes1.00auditorium
4Descriptive epidemiologic studies. Errors: random errors, systematic biases.Lectures1.00auditorium
Classes1.00auditorium
5Analytical studies. Cohort sudies; case-control studies. Measures of association.Classes1.00auditorium
6Experimental studies. Diagnostic tests.Classes1.00auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Calculation of epidemiologic measures, direct and indirect standardization during classes, both individually and in groups. Home reading material. Sample exercises on epidemiologic measures and standardization as a home-work. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
• Participation in discussions during classes. • Self-assessment tests. • Oral examination of understanding of home reading material during classes. • Written final test, consisting of 50 multiple choice test.
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:On successful completion of the course students will be able to: • interpret the concepts of risk factor, cause and confounder in the context of multifactorial theory of causation; • define epidemiologic measures of disease occurrence and to describe their advantages, disadvantages and methods of calculation; • explain the meaning of age-standardization; • list and describe epidemiologic study designs, their characteristic features, advantages and disadvantages; • list the main types of biases and to give their explanation; • explain accuracy and precision of measurements and how they affect validity of a study.
Skills:• calculate the basic epidemiologic measures of health events and states; measures of association; sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of diagnostic tests; • apply direct and indirect methods of standardization in order to compare epidemiologic measures.
Competencies:• differentiate between exposure variable, other risk factors and confounders under conditions of specific research question and hypothesis; • choose health measures, appropriate for the given health problems; • assess the suitability of the epidemiologic study design in regard to the research problem; • interpret the measures of association; • evaluate the potential influence of confounding and biases on study results.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Baltiņš, M. Lietišķā epidemioloģija. Rīga: Zinātne, 2003. 354 lpp. (akceptējams izdevums)
2Textbook of Epidemiology. Bouter, L.M., Zielhuis, G.A., Zeegers, M.P.A. 2018, Springer Nature, eBook
3Ārvalstu studentiem/For international students:
4Textbook of Epidemiology. Bouter, L.M., Zielhuis, G.A., Zeegers, M.P.A. 2018, Springer Nature, eBook
Additional Reading
1Beaglehole, R., Bonita, R., Kjellstrom, T. Basic Epidemiology. Geneva: WHO, 2006.
2Jekel, J.F., Elmore, J.G., Katz, D.L. Jekel's Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health. Philadelphia, London: W.B.Saunders Company, 2020. ix, 297 p.
3Greenberg, R.S., et al. Medical Epidemiology. 5th edition. Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill, 2015. 254 p.
4Gordis, L. Gordis Epidemiology. Elsevier Saunders, 2019. 355 p.
5Gerstman, B.B. Epidemiology Kept Simple. An Introduction to Traditional and Modern Epidemiology. 3rd edition. Wiley-Liss, 2013. xvi, 417 p.