San Diego State University
College of Health and Human Services
Graduate School of Public Health
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Course No. PH 726 – Spring 2011
“Epidemiology of HIV and AIDS”
Course Information:
Day: Wednesdays
Time: 1000-1240
Location: HH 122
Office Hours: By appointment
Instructor:
Nancy Crum-Cianflone, MD MPH
Email: ncrum@mail.sdsu.edu; nancy.crum@med.navy.mil
Office Phone: (619) 532-7475
Cell: (858) 344-9586
Resources:
Text:
Gerald Stine, AIDS Update 2011. McGraw Hill (Required reading)
Articles:
Provided on Blackboard as PDF files (Required reading)
Films:
Darell Roodt’s “Yesterday” 2004 (Required)
Roger Spottiswoodie’s “And the Band Played On” 1993 (Optional)
Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” 2008 (Optional)
Jonathan Demme's “Philadelphia” 1993 (Optional)
David Hickson’s “Beat the Drum” 2003 (Optional)
Fernando Meirelles’ “The Constant Gardener” 2005 (Optional)
Books:
Randy Shilts’ “And the Band Played On” (Optional)
Stephanie Nolen’s “28: Stories of AIDS in Africa” (Optional)
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Grading Policy:
Basis of Grades:
-Class Participation and Attendance (10%)
-Group project with group Powerpoint presentation to class on country
HIV status report (5%) (Group work); includes anonymous evaluation by
team members.
-Quiz (10%) (Individual work)
-Risk-Group bibliography (min. 10 references) (5%) (Individual work)
-Description of ‘At-Risk Group’ Paper: 3-5 pages with updated
bibliography (10%) (Individual work)
-Examination (Midterm) (40%) (Individual work)
-Take home examination with independent essays
-Final Examination: Project developing a preventive strategy for the “at-risk”
group in your assigned country
*Group assignment to formulate a written Prevention Plan (10%) and oral
class presentation (10%) (Group Work)
Standards (at graduate level in attainment of education objectives):
A – Superior performance
B – Adequate performance
C – Less than adequate
D/F – Fail
Overall Course Objectives:
To prepare the MPH graduate to:
-Describe the epidemiology of HIV to include global patterns, recent trends, modes of
transmission, and characteristics of target population.
-Describe the surveillance and reporting of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and internationally.
-Describe the pathophysiology, clinical course, prognostic indicators, and treatment of
HIV infection.
-Describe approaches to HIV prevention, including screening and counseling,
antiretroviral prophylaxis (perinatal, pre- and post-exposure), behavioral interventions,
needle exchange programs, circumcision, microbicides, and the status of HIV vaccines.
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Specific Objectives:
1. Gain Knowledge in Population Health Issues:
a. Learn determinants that influence the distribution of HIV infection within
populations.
b. Understand the factors that promote health and prevent HIV infection
within populations.
2. Gain Knowledge in Key Epidemiologic Principles as They Relate to HIV:
a. Apply basic epidemiologic concepts of the causal chain model, natural
history of disease, incidence, prevalence, case-fatality and mortality rates
to HIV/AIDS.
b. Become familiar with HIV terminology and understand the disease
pathogenesis.
c. Become familiar with study design issues in HIV research.
3. Gain Knowledge in Assessing Public Health Data and Collection of Data:
a. Learn the principles of surveillance as they pertain to the HIV epidemic
(e.g., the systematic approach from planning, collecting and processing of
information).
4. Gain Knowledge in Critically Interpreting the Published Literature:
a. To demonstrate the ability to retrieve, organize and review of body of
literature on HIV/AIDS (including via journal articles, textbooks and the
web).
b. To demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the content and
methodology, and interpret the published literature in HIV/AIDS.
5. Gain Communication Skills:
a. Practice in communicating scientific presentations clearly and concisely.
b. Work in a group structure to develop public health programs
c. Able to take scientific information and present it in both medical and
laymen terms depending on the audience using both verbal and written
formats.
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