HNE-28303 Introduction Descriptive Epidemiology and Public Health (online)

Course

Credits 3.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Knowledge clip0
Individual Paper0
Independent study0
Distance group work0
E-learning material0
Course coordinator(s)dr. ir. MC Busstra
Lecturer(s)prof. dr. ir. P van 't Veer
prof. dr. ir. EJM Feskens
prof. dr. ir. E Kampman
dr. ir. MC Busstra
dr. ir. A Haveman-Nies
prof. dr. JM Geleijnse
Examiner(s)dr. ir. MC Busstra

Language of instruction:

English

Continuation courses:

The DL-MSc-specializations have a fixed schedule during the pilot-phase

Contents:

The course will teach you the basic concepts, measures and study designs of descriptive epidemiology and public health. Descriptive studies investigate when, where and among whom health and disease in certain populations occur. Results of these studies can be used by policy makers in the field of public health. Different epidemiological and public health measures are introduced to describe health, disease and mortality. You will learn when to use these measures and how to calculate them. In addition, you are introduced to some major diseases, including infectious diseases, diabetes mellitus, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
As a (nutritional) epidemiologist you need to know where to find valid data on disease occurrence (prevalence and incidence) world-wide. This will give you insight into differences between countries or regions. However, even data from reliable sources need to be interpreted with caution. Therefore in this course we have series of online discussion exercises that focus on a few diseases which are important world-wide and useful to illustrate epidemiological principles: diabetes & cancer. The same we will do for mortality and life-expectancy.

This is an online course. The content of this course largely overlap with the course HNE24806 Introduction to epidemiology and public health.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- describe the field of epidemiology and public health and the work of scientists in this field;
- calculate basic measures used in epidemiology and public health, including:
- prevalence
- incidence rate and proportion
- DALY, Years of Life Lost, Healthy Life Expectancy.
- understand basic study designs used in descriptive epidemiology and public health and indicate the major (dis)advantages of the various study designs.
- perform standardization of public health data;
- describe the prevalence and incidence of major communicable and non-communicable diseases:
- infectious diseases;
- diabetes mellitus;
- cancer;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- mental health disorders among elderly people;
- osteoporosis.

Activities:

Knowledge clips, self-study, online group discussions, calculation exercises, and individual assignments.

Examination:

- final exam: remote proctored written exam with closed questions (100%);
- active contribution to online group discussion (pass)
- individual assignment (pass)

Literature:

Webb C. & Bain P. (2010 or 2017). Essential epidemiology: an introduction for students and health professionals. Cambridge University Press, 2nd or 3rd edition.

ProgrammePhaseSpecializationPeriod
Compulsory for: MNHNutrition and HealthMScE: Nutritional Epidemiology and Public Health1DL