Department of Public Health and Epidemiology

A multidisciplinary structural unit of Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) that educates, performs scientific research and provides consultancy and specialized expertise in the fields of public health and epidemiology. The department participates in ensuring the educational process of all RSU faculties dealing with healthcare at undergraduate and post-graduate level.

Aims

The aim of the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology is to ensure high quality education in the fields of public health and epidemiology in public health, medicine and other specialities taught by RSU.

Tasks

• Implementing study and methodological work in public health, epidemiology, health promotion, disease prevention, healthcare organization and health economics, entrepreneurship and introduction to law by:
  • elaborating and implementing respective study contents and methodology; 
  • implementing and developing placement possibilities. 
• Supervising student research, bachelor, master and doctoral theses in the scientific and research areas implemented by the department
• Facilitating upgrading of public health and epidemiology specialists 
• Performing research, scientific and consultative activity in the relevant field 
• Developing cross border and local cooperation with employers, universities nongovernmental organizations and other partners.

Research

Education and research

• General healthcare and public health issues
• Epidemiology
• Global health and global public health issues 
• Demography 
• Disease prevention, health promotion and education (policy and practice) 
• Sexual health and education 
• Infectious diseases, infection monitoring and control in healthcare 
• Health system values, policy, construction and analysis
• Healthcare organisation and management 
• Introduction to economics, basic economics and healthcare economy
• Entrepreneurship, establishment and management of a company, including accounting and finances
• Introduction to law, medical law, environmental health law, legal framework, professional work. 
• Intercultural communication and public relations 
• Quality and project management, recordkeeping 
• Sociology and social medicine 
• Introduction to research, research methodology, qualitative and quantitative research methods, register-based research 

Scientific activity

• Epidemiological research of chronic (non-infectious) diseases with particular research focus on diabetes mellitus
• Epidemiology and prevention research of infectious diseases, with emphasis on HIV infection problems 
• Epidemiological research of cancer 
• Mental health epidemiological and public health research 
• Epidemiological studies of accidents 
• Surveying and analysis of the overall health and health habits of the local population
• Violation study in the context of public health
• Assessment of health care funding modules 
• Health policy assessment studies 
• Health services efficiency studies
• Health care human resource studies 
• Health literacy educational processes