Introduction to Epidemiology for Global Health
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REQUIREMENTS ELIGIBILITY Introduction to Epidemiology The course is offered exclusively online. All course The course is appropriate for individuals with participants must have access to a computer with experience in a health-related field with interest in internet connection in order to view recorded understanding epidemiologic principles and research for Global Health lectures, access course materials and activities, submit methods. assignments, and participate in discussion forums. Successful applicants will have achieved a Bachelor’s There will be multiple weekly opportunities for real- AN ONLINE COURSE level degree (or equivalent) and have experience in a time tutoring with instructors and teaching assistants health-related field. at the University of Washington using web-based Department of Global Health at the University of Washington conferencing tools that facilitate typed-chat and voice The course is taught in English. Participants must interaction. For a complete list of minimum technical be comfortable comprehending written and spoken specifications, please visit the website. English. All course participants must be available to devote 6-9 Proficiency in algebra is required. hours to course work each week for 10 weeks for the duration of the course. University of Washington (UW) academic credit is not available to students enrolled online, but a Certificate For more information visit of Completion with be issued by UW to those http://edgh.washington.edu/course/introduction- participants who meet course expectations. epidemiology-global-health Introduction to Epidemiology for Global Health provides an in-depth orientation to the field of epidemiology for those seeking to conduct research or work on research studies in a global health context. The objective of this course is to provide participants with an understanding of how epidemiologic methods are used to understand the distribution of disease within populations and what factors affect the risk of disease. COURSE SCHEDULE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES Introduction to Epidemiologic Methods and and provide examples of when each study design Data Management Practices in Health Research Qualitative Research Methods Quantitative Research would be appropriate and preferred. • Describe how study design will influence data • Describe how phenomenology and grounded theory • Understand the main concepts in • Understand the differences between cross-sectional, management strategies. methods can be used to address a public health epidemiology retrospective, and prospective study designs. question. • Give examples of data entry techniques that • Describe the methodological approaches • Explain how conclusions about exposure-disease minimize errors. • Provide a data collection strategy that could be to measuring diseases in populations and relationships are drawn from different study designs. used in a qualitative research study. • Outline quality control measures that can improve assessing relationships between exposures Causation, Bias, and Confounding data quality. • Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative and diseases. research methods. • List the guideline to assess the likelihood of a causal Interpretation of Epidemiologic Studies and • Define prevalence and incidence and describe exposure-disease relationship. Decision Making Analyzing Qualitative Data and Public Health the steps to measure each in a typical Applications epidemiologic study. • Define bias in epidemiologic studies and describe the • Understand how to interpret the various measures of main categories of bias. test performance. • Provide strategies for managing qualitative data. Introduction to Statistical Decision Making • Identify confounding and how to account for • Describe the criteria that should be used when • Define coding and differentiate between types of • Understand how to summarize data using confounding to produce valid conclusions. deciding if a screening test should be used to detect codes. standard measures of location and spread disease. Measurement, Classification, and Misclassification • Illustrate how qualitative data is presented in a paper. • Understand the graphical approaches to data display and how graphical displays can • Understand how the research question dictates how Multiple variable regression models in epidemiology supplement formal statistical analysis. subjects are classified in terms of exposure and disease. • Summarize the common regression methods used in * NOTE: course content is subject to change • Understand how to use measures of • Compare and contrast the impacts of non-differential epidemiology. association to investigate the relationship and differential misclassification. • Explain why multivariable regression models are between exposure and disease. Instructor • Calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, used and how confounding is addressed.. Brandon Guthrie, PhD Epidemiologic Study Designs and negative predictive value. • Provide an interpretation of the odds ratio and Acting Instructor, Dept. of Global Health • Describe the characteristics of cohort studies, hazard ratio estimates produced in logistic and University of Washington case-control studies, and randomized trials survival analysis models. Introduction to Epidemiology for Global Health provides an in-depth orientation to the field of epidemiology for those seeking to conduct research or work on research studies in a global health context. The objective of this course is to provide participants with an understanding of how epidemiologic methods are used to understand the distribution of disease within populations and what factors affect the risk of disease. COURSE SCHEDULE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES Introduction to Epidemiologic Methods and and provide examples of when each study design Data Management Practices in Health Research Qualitative Research Methods Quantitative Research would be appropriate and preferred. • Describe how study design will influence data • Describe how phenomenology and grounded theory • Understand the main concepts in • Understand the differences between cross-sectional, management strategies. methods can be used to address a public health epidemiology retrospective, and prospective study designs. question. • Give examples of data entry techniques that • Describe the methodological approaches • Explain how conclusions about exposure-disease minimize errors. • Provide a data collection strategy that could be to measuring diseases in populations and relationships are drawn from different study designs. used in a qualitative research study. • Outline quality control measures that can improve assessing relationships between exposures Causation, Bias, and Confounding data quality. • Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative and diseases. research methods. • List the guideline to assess the likelihood of a causal Interpretation of Epidemiologic Studies and • Define prevalence and incidence and describe exposure-disease relationship. Decision Making Analyzing Qualitative Data and Public Health the steps to measure each in a typical Applications epidemiologic study. • Define bias in epidemiologic studies and describe the • Understand how to interpret the various measures of main categories of bias. test performance. • Provide strategies for managing qualitative data. Introduction to Statistical Decision Making • Identify confounding and how to account for • Describe the criteria that should be used when • Define coding and differentiate between types of • Understand how to summarize data using confounding to produce valid conclusions. deciding if a screening test should be used to detect codes. standard measures of location and spread disease. Measurement, Classification, and Misclassification • Illustrate how qualitative data is presented in a paper. • Understand the graphical approaches to data display and how graphical displays can • Understand how the research question dictates how Multiple variable regression models in epidemiology supplement formal statistical analysis. subjects are classified in terms of exposure and disease. • Summarize the common regression methods used in * NOTE: course content is subject to change • Understand how to use measures of • Compare and contrast the impacts of non-differential epidemiology. association to investigate the relationship and differential misclassification. • Explain why multivariable regression models are between exposure and disease. Instructor • Calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, used and how confounding is addressed.. Brandon Guthrie, PhD Epidemiologic Study Designs and negative predictive value. • Provide an interpretation of the odds ratio and Acting Instructor, Dept. of Global Health • Describe the characteristics of cohort studies, hazard ratio estimates produced in logistic and University of Washington case-control studies, and randomized trials survival analysis models. REQUIREMENTS ELIGIBILITY Introduction to Epidemiology The course is offered exclusively online. All course The course is appropriate for individuals with participants must have access to a computer with experience in a health-related field with interest in internet connection in order to view recorded understanding epidemiologic principles and research for Global Health lectures, access course materials and activities, submit methods. assignments, and participate in discussion forums. Successful applicants will have achieved a Bachelor’s There will be multiple weekly opportunities for real-