Skip to main content

Public Health and Epidemiology

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:3.00
Study Course Accepted:26.01.2023 15:54:10
Study Course Information
Course Code:SVUEK_112LQF level:Level 7
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Clinical MedicineTarget Audience:Rehabilitation
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Anda Ķīvīte-Urtāne
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)0Lecture Length (academic hours)0Total Contact Hours of Lectures0
Classes (count)8Class Length (academic hours)3Total Contact Hours of Classes24
Total Contact Hours24
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Basic knowledge in normal and pathological physiology, biochemistry and mathematical statistics.
Objective:
To provide knowledge and develop understanding of the basic issues of modern public health and to develop students’ scientific, critical, systematic and analytical thinking.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1The concept of health. The concept and tasks of public health.Classes1.00auditorium
2Health promotion and prevention.Classes1.00auditorium
3Social determinants of health.Classes1.00auditorium
4Epidemiological guidelines and the theory of disease causation.Classes1.00auditorium
5Measuring disease incidence.Classes1.00auditorium
6CCommon, specific, standardised indicators.Classes1.00auditorium
7Sources of health information.Classes1.00auditorium
8Association indicators.Classes1.00auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Individual work during classes, discussing the problems related to the topic of the class, calculating epidemiological tasks (basic epidemiological indicators, association indicators).
Assessment Criteria:
Attendance of classes, regular oral testing of understanding and skills check during classes; written final exam.
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:Will define the concept of health and name the main categories of factors affecting health. Will name the social determinants of health. Will formulate the tasks of public health as science and practice. Will define the levels of disease prevention and the basic functions of health promotion. Will describe the basic concepts of modern epidemiology and application thereof in health sciences. Will explain the concept of evidence-based health care. Will explain the principles of prevalence and incidence calculation. Will define the basic principles of disease screening. Will describe the types and sources of health information. Will outline the principles of calculating relative risk, attributable risk, attributable risk percentage and odds ratio indicators.
Skills:Will name examples of factors affecting health in the specialty. Will describe examples of disease prevention and health promotion within one’s specialty. Will calculate the basic indicators of frequency of health events and conditions and association indicators. Will differentiate between common, specific and standardised indicators. Will differentiate and compare different sources of health information.
Competencies:Will interpret the concept of health and factors affecting health in the specialty. Will substantiate the importance of health promotion and prevention in the specialty. Will apply the indicators of health event frequency, demographic indicators and association indicators in health problem research. Will critically evaluate health information depending on the data sources. Will independently obtain and analyse information, integrating it into solutions to public health problems.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Marmot M., Wilkinson R.G. (ed.). Social Determinants of Health. 2nd edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. (akceptējams izdevums)
2Baltiņš M. Lietišķā epidemioloģija. Rīga: Zinātne, 2003. (akceptējams izdevums)
3Ārvalstu studentiem/For international students:
4Marmot M., Wilkinson R.G. (ed.). Social Determinants of Health. 2nd edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. (akceptējams izdevums)