SCHOOL OF
POSTGRADUATE
STUDIES&
RESEARCH
AMOUD
UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: MPH 8112
COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY
COURSE OUTLINE
Contact Hours
Facilitator:
45
Credit Units
3
Duration
15 Weeks
Marcel Abel Okoth-Okelloh, 0633885268, okothokelloh@gmail.com
Course Background
MPH 8112–Introduction to Public Health Epidemiology is course designed to equip
you with knowledge and skills to competently describe and explain disease
occurrence in a community. Describing public health problems from an
epidemiologic perspective helps us to understand their potential significance and
impact. Epidemiology – rooted from the Greek words epi = among, demos = people
and logos=Study literally translates to "the study of people" or Study of what befalls
people, is considered the crux of public health and a critical pillar of curative
medicine. In fact, we use the term epidemiology to mean the study of diseases in
populations. Consequently, epidemiology is important to public health because it
provides a basis for developing, prioritizing, and evaluating public health programs
to determine how successful they are in addressing the intended objectives. Public
health programs should be developed based on need, and the epidemiologic
approach is helpful in needs assessment. The world and Somaliland being part of the
global village needs home grown experts in the field of public health with
applications geared toward evidence based practice. An in-depth understanding of
the foundations public health is critical.
Course Aims
This course is designed to introduce students to the importance of epidemiology in
informing scientific, ethical, economic and political discussion of health issues, with
a particular focus on the major theories, methodologies issues and challenges around
the principles pertaining to the collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of
epidemiologic data in healthcare delivery in general.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, the students should be able to:
1. Explain the importance of epidemiology in informing scientific, ethical,
economic and political discussion of health issues
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2. Describe a public health problem in terms of magnitude, person, time and
place
3. Calculate and interpret measures of disease frequency, measures of
association and measures of public health impact
4. Comprehend basic ethical and legal principles pertaining to the collection,
maintenance, use and dissemination of epidemiologic data
Course Description
Introduction to epidemiology for students majoring in any aspect of public health;
covers the principles and methods of epidemiologic investigation including
describing the patterns of illness in populations and research designs for
investigating the etiology of disease. Introduces quantitative measures to determine
risk, association and procedures for standardization of rates. Application of basic
principles and methods in the design and conduct of epidemiologic studies. Topics
include the development of research questions; overview of epidemiologic study
designs; sampling, sample size, and selection bias; techniques for data collection,
sources of secondary data and the evaluation of measurement and information bias;
confounding and effect modification; techniques for simple and stratified analyses;
and an introduction to mathematical modeling in epidemiology.
Prerequisites: MPH 8111 Principles of Public Health
Learning Outcomes
The course should produce people have reliably demonstrated the ability to:
1. Explain the importance of epidemiology in informing scientific, ethical,
economic and political discussion of health issues
2. Describe a public health problem in terms of magnitude, person, time and
place
3. Calculate and interpret measures of disease frequency, measures of
association and measures of public health impact
4. Recognize and describe the elements in the design and conduct of a
randomized clinical trial, a cohort study, a case-control study, and a crosssectional study.
5. Explain epidemiologic methods used in infectious disease investigations
6. Describe the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases
7. Identify key sources of data for epidemiologic purposes
8. Comprehend basic ethical and legal principles pertaining to the collection,
maintenance, use and dissemination of epidemiologic data
9. Draw appropriate inferences from epidemiologic data
Course Content
Content
1. The concept
Epidemiology
.
Specific Content
This topic describes the universal definition and scope,
application and achievements of epidemiology then
gives a historical account of epidemiology by outlining
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Duration/
weeks
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2. Concepts of
disease and
health.
3. Descriptive and
analytical
Epidemiology.
4. Overview of
Observational
study designs.
5. Overview of
Experimental
study designs.
6. Measures of
disease
frequency
7. Measures of
association and
public health
impact
the contribution of ancient epidemiologists
The concept of Health and disease and their
determinants. A diagrammatic presentation of an
epidemiological triad and a brief summary on the
types and causes of diseases. The following are
discussed: The concept of health and disease, Factors
affecting health, Epidemiological triad and
Classification of diseases.
The two main branches of epidemiology: descriptive
and analytical. The knowledge gained here is expected
to competently enable you describe and quantify
disease problems and examine associations between
determinants and disease.
Features of an observational study design. How studies
draw inferences about the effect of an “exposure” or
intervention on subjects, where the assignment of
subjects to groups is observed rather than manipulated
by the investigator. The design elements of cohort,
case-control and cross-sectional studies. Distinction
between different types of cohort and case control
studies. The strengths and weaknesses of observational
study designs.
Experimental designs, generally recognized as the most
appropriate method for drawing causal conclusions
about instructional interventions. Features of an
experimental study design. Types of experimental
designs. The advantages and disadvantages of
experimental study designs and Ethical issues in
experimental study designs
The principal role of epidemiology which involves
description and explanation of differences in the
distribution of disease or other health outcomes of
interest between populations. Focus on measures of
disease frequency including: a) Prevalence b) Incidence
c) Calculation of person-time at risk d) Issues in
defining the population at risk e) The relationships
between incidence and prevalence ) Commonly used
measures of disease frequency
How epidemiologists measure the causal effect of an
exposure on the occurrence of a disease. To measure a
causal effect we would have ideally to compare
occurrence of disease in exposed persons to what
would have happened in the same persons, at the same
time, in the absence of exposure. In depth the
epidemiological measures of association. Measures of
the excess risk caused by exposure to a factor, and the
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8. Potential
epidemiological
Errors
9. Infectious
disease
epidemiology
and outbreaks.
measure of the expected impact of a disease in a
population that can be attributed to the exposure
factors.
Shade light into some of the commonly encountered 1
errors when conducting epidemiological research.
Outline the fact that all measurements are prone to
errors that are sometimes inevitable. Common errors
and deliberately instituting measures to mitigate them
improves the precision and credibility of estimates.
(Define and categorize epidemiological errors potential
causes of epidemiological errors strategies of reducing
random variation (increase precision), Identity and
description of errors encountered in different
epidemiological designs and Description of how
confounding can be corrected.
The knowledge and skills required for the 2
investigation, control, and prevention of a variety of
infectious
diseases.
Tracing
the
causes
of
communicable diseases within a community (the six
major components of infectious disease process, the
natural history of major infectious diseases; levels of
disease occurrence, Classification of epidemics and the
principles and practices of outbreak investigation;
Evaluation
Tests/examinations/assignments must be written and submitted at the time
specified. Failure to do so will result in a mark of “0”, unless an illness/emergency
can be proven with appropriate documentation. There will be coursework with 40%
and end of semester examinations with 60%. There will be no sit in tests. Students
will work on case assignments and produce written papers. The passing grade is
50%. The papers will be evaluated on the basis of depth of research, soundness of
argument, theoretical and practical content, and clarity of presentation. Submit
assignments to me at the beginning of the class in which they are due. Keep a
photocopy of your assignment.
Plagiarism
Students found plagiarizing or engaging in other forms of cheating can expect to fail
the course.
Attendance
All students are expected to attend classes, seminars, and workshops. The seminars
will take the traditional class discussion format. The workshops will involve roleplaying exercises to illuminate various teaching planning and management
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activities. Attendance will be recorded. Please note that you are responsible for
compensating for time lost.
Participation
Students are strongly encouraged to participate during each class with questions,
answers or opinions.
Methodology
Lecture based on students’ module. Class discussions, seminar presentation, group
presentations. The course combines lectures, workshops, discussions, and group
work. Individual work and reading is required from the students in preparation for
the sessions. In view of making important and relevant contributions for the field of
educational planning, the course students shall:
i. participate actively in the course, discussions and seminars,
ii. present and defend of a course paper,
iii. collect data and make a report on epidemiological issues in Somaliland.
Reference
Will be provided on case by case basis.
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