Concepts of Epidemiology Crash Course

Short course

In Edinburgh

£ 845 VAT exempt

Description

  • Type

    Short course

  • Level

    Beginner

  • Aimed at

    For professionals

  • Location

    Edinburgh (Scotland)

  • Class hours

    35h

  • Duration

    5 Days

This popular and intensive 5-day course returns for it's 10th consecutive year! "Concepts of Epidemiology" offers professionals an opportunity to rapidly learn the principles and methods of epidemiology for enhanced research and practice. Held at the University of Edinburgh, in the heart of Scotland's capital, the programme combines informative lectures and inclusive workshops led by Professor Raj Bhopal (Author of the award winning book Concepts of Epidemiology), with major contributions from Drs Colin Fischbacher and Snorri Rafnsson.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Edinburgh (Midlothian/Edinburghshire)
See map
Centre For Population Health Sciences, Medical School, Teviot Place, EH8 9AG

Start date

On request

About this course

No previous knowledge of Epidemiology will be assumed. Basic arithmetic, algebra and the use of a calculator will be necessary to carry out the course exercises.

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Reviews

Subjects

  • Epidemiology research
  • Healthcare

Teachers and trainers (3)

Dr Colin Fischbacher

Dr Colin Fischbacher

Consultant in Public Health Medicine Information Services Division

Dr Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson

Dr Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson

Epidemiologist & Honorary Fellow, CPHS, University of Edinburgh

Professor R S  Bhopal

Professor R S Bhopal

Bruce & John Usher Professor of Public Health

Course programme

COURSE CONTENTS (Numbers correspond to book sections that will be covered in course-participants are invited to learn the remainder of the book on their own) Session 1 What is epidemiology? The nature and scope of a biological, social and ecological science and of its variables

1.1 The individual and the population

1.2 Definition of epidemiology and statement of its central paradigm

1.3 Directions in epidemiology and its uses

1.4 Epidemiology as a science, practice and craft

1.5 The nature of epidemiological variables

1.6 A disease and health problem: an illustration of the interdependence of clinical medicine and epidemiology (Exercise)

1.8 Seeking the theoretical foundations of epidemiology

Session 2 The epidemiological concept of population

2.1 The individual and the population

2.2 Harnessing heterogeneity in individual and group level disease and risk factor pattern

2.3 Disease patterns as a manifestation of individuals living in changing social groups

2.4 Sick populations and sick individuals

2.7 The dynamic nature of human population

2.8 Applications of the population concept

Session 3: Variation in disease by time, place and person: A framework for analysis

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Reasons for analysing disease variations

3.4 Variations and associations: real or artefact?

3.5 Applying the real-artefact framework

3.6 Disease clustering and clusters in epidemiology

3.7 Applications of observations of disease variation

3.8 Epidemiological theory underpinning variations

Session 4: Variation: role of error, bias, confounding and risk modification (interaction)

4.1 Introduction

4.2 A classification of error and bias

4.2.1 The research question, theme or hypothesis

4.2.2 Choice of population

4.2.3 Non-participation

4.2.4 Comparing disease patterns and risk factor-disease outcome relationships in populations which differ (confounding)

4.2.5 Risk/effect modification, susceptibility and interaction

4.2.6 Measurement: differential and non-differential

4.2.8 Analysis and interpretation

4.2.9 Publication

4.2.10 Judgement and action

Session 5: Cause and effect: the epidemiological approach

5.1 Introduction: causality in science and philosophy

5.2 Epidemiological strategy and reasoning: the example of Semelweis

5.3 Models of cause in epidemiology

5.3.1 Interplay of host, agent and environment

5.3.1 Necessary and sufficient cause

5.4 Guidelines for epidemiological reasoning

5.4.2 Application of guidelines to associations

5.4.5 Interpretation of data, study design and causal guidelines

Session 6: Natural history, spectrum, iceberg, and screening: interrelated concepts in the epidemiology of disease

6.1 Natural history of disease

6.3 Spectrum of disease

6.4 The unmeasured burden of disease: the metaphors of the iceberg and the pyramid

6.5 Screening: measuring the accuracy of the test: sensitivity, specificity and predictive powers

6.6 Applications of the concepts of natural history, spectrum and screening

6.7 Epidemiological theory: symbiosis with clinical medicine and social sciences

Session 7: The concept of risk and measures of disease frequency: incidence and prevalence

7.1 Introduction: risks, risk factors and causes

7.2 Quantifying risks, risk factors, and their relationships

7.3 Incidence and incidence rate: the perspective of incidence density and cumulative incidence (or proportion)

7.4 Numerator

7.5 Denominator

7.6 Prevalence and prevalence rate (or proportion)

7.8 Choice of incidence or prevalence

7.9 Presenting rates

Session 8: Presentation and interpretation of epidemiological data on risk

8.1 Introduction

8.3 Adjusted overall rates: standardisation and the calculation of the SMR

8.4 Relative risk

8.5 The odds ratio (OR)

8.6 Measurements to assess the impact of a risk factor in groups and populations

8.6.2 Population attributable risk

8.11 Numbers needed to treat (NNT) or to prevent (NNP)

Session 9: Study design: overview

9.1 Introduction: interdependence of study design

9.2. Classifications of study design: five dichotomies

9.3 Case-series: clinical and population based

9.4 Cross-sectional study

9.5 Case-control study

9.6 Cohort study9.7 Trials9.8 Overlap in the conceptual basis of the case-series, cross-sectional, case-control, cohort and trial designs

Session 10: Theoretical, ethical, contextual, practical and critical foundations for future epidemiology

10.1 The interrelationship of theory, methods and applications: a question of values

10.2 Fundamental influences on health

10.6 Epidemiology: forces for change

10.9 The practice of epidemiology in public health.

10.10 Ethical basis and proper conduct of epidemiology

10.12 Some questions relevant to the appraisal of epidemiological research

10.15 A reflection on the future of epidemiology



For full Course details and Programme please see our webpage at http://www.crfr.ac.uk/epidemiology

Additional information

For full details please see our Course Webpage at http://www.crfr.ac.uk/epidemiology

Concepts of Epidemiology Crash Course

£ 845 VAT exempt