HNE-31006 Study Design and Interpretation in Epidemiology and Public Health

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Introduction to Epidemiology and Public Health

Continuation courses:

Analytical Epidemiology, Public Health Practice

Contents:

NOTE: this course will start in 2011/2012.
This course builds upon concepts of study designs and data-analysis from 'Introduction to Epidemiology and Public Health' and ' Applied Data Analysis' by putting the design, conduct and interpretation of observational and intervention studies into practice.
In working groups (max n=10) under tutorial arrangements, studies will be designed for epidemiological and public health questions taking methodological as well as practical considerations into account. Existing literature will be critically reviewed as part of the group exercise. Issues discussed will involve potential misclassification of exposure and disease, selection and information bias, confounding and effect modification, study precision and power considerations, and methods of data-analysis. The working groups will present their proposed study designs at the end of the course to a panel of experts.
Additionally lectures will be provided focusing on advanced design variants in epidemiology and public health (e.g., case-cohort, nested case-control, population interventions). Specific attention will be paid to standardization, stratification and energy adjustment, and specific epidemiological measures to assess public health impact (i.e. EF, PAR). Practical modules, partly ICT based, will be used to gain experience with confounding and effect modification.

Learning outcomes:

After participation the student is expected to:
- demonstrate the ability to design, plan and interpret studies used in epidemiology and public health, taking methodological and practical considerations into account;
- understand how standardization and stratification can be used to adjust for confounding and/or effect modification;
- understand the principles and procedures of energy-adjustment.

Activities:

The student will: - actively participate in group discussions on a research proposal including critical review of the literature, and preparation of a presentation of the proposed study to staff;
- prepare and attend lectures;
- conduct the (ICT-based) practicals.

Examination:

Written examination and group assignment.

Literature:

Will be announced.