Epi 1: Fundamentals of Epidemiology

Brief Description:

This is an introductory epidemiology course that emphasizes the underlying concepts and methods of epidemiology. Topics covered in the course include: study designs (clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, and cross-sectional), measures of disease frequency and effect.

Instructor(s):
Level: Introductory

Who Should Take This Course:

Administrators, practicing professionals, researchers, graduate or undergraduate and even high school students in the health, medical, and behavioral sciences interested in learning fundamental principles and methods of epidemiologic and public health research . This course is also intended to address increasing demands to provide training to public health professionals and students in developing countries that do not have convenient access to academic training in epidemiology and related public health fields.

Dates:
June 01, 2012 to July 06, 2012
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Registration:
Please read the syllabus tab, noting the prerequisites, text and software requirements.

Register Online -$499
Register Online -$399 (you must be affiliated with a college, university or high school)

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Epi 1: Fundamentals of Epidemiology

Aim of Course:

This is an introductory epidemiology course that emphasizes the underlying concepts and methods of epidemiology. Topics covered in the course include: study designs (clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, and cross-sectional), measures of disease frequency and effect. See also the companion courses Epi 2: Designing Epidemiologic Studies and Epi 3: Analysis of Epidemiologic Data.

This course is a core requirement or elective in the following Program(s) in Advanced Statistical Studies (PASS):

• Biostatistics (Epidemiology)

Prerequisite(s):
Course participants should have some background and/or interest in public health, medical research, or research in the behavioral sciences. The mathematics level is basic algebra.
Course Program:

SESSION 1: Overview and important methodologic issues

• What is epidemiology?
• The Sydney Beach Users Study
• Overview of important methodologic issues
• The study question
• Measuring the variables
• The study design and sampling plan
• Measures of disease frequency and effect
• Bias
• Analyzing of the data
• The Nurses Health Study
• The Bogalusa Outbreak
• The Rotterdam Study

SESSION 2: Epidemiologic study designs

• Types of epidemiologic research
• Directionality
• Timing
• Clinical trials
• Cohort studies
• Case-control studies
• Cross-sectional studies
• Ecologic studies

SESSION 3: Measures of disease frequency

• Incidence versus prevalence
• Risk
• Rate
• Risk versus rate
• Prevalence
• Age-adjusted rates

SESSION 4: Measures of effect

• Smoking and lung cancer
• The risk ratio
• The odds ratio
• Odds ratio approximation to the risk ratio
• The rate ratio

SESSION 5: Measures of potential impact

• The Risk difference
• Difference measures of effect
• Difference versus ratio measures of effect
• Potential impact- the concept
• Etiololgic fraction
• Etiologic fraction among the exposed

Organization of the Course:

This course takes place over the internet, at statistics.com for 5 weeks. During each course week, you participate at times of your own choosing - there are no set times when you must be online. Course participants will be given access to a private discussion board. In class discussions led by the instructor, you can post questions, seek clarification, and interact with your fellow students and the instructor.

The course typically requires 15 hours per week. At the beginning of each week, you receive the relevant material, in addition to answers to exercises from the previous session. During the week, you are expected to go over the course materials, work through exercises, and submit answers. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments, and you will receive individual feedback on your homework answers.

Credit:
Students come to The Institute for a variety of reasons:

1. You may be interested only in learning the material presented, and not be concerned with grades or a record of completion.
2. You may be enrolled in PASS (Program in Advanced Statistical Studies) that requires demonstration of proficiency in the subject, in which case your work will be assessed for a grade.
3. You may require a "Record of Course Completion," along with professional development credit in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEU's).

As you begin the class, you will be asked to specify your category.

This course offers continuing education units (CEU's). For those successfully completing the course (generally this means marks of 50% or better on the homework), 6.25 CEU's and a record of course completion will be issued by Statistics.com, upon request.

Course Text:

The required course material is ActivEpi, Version 2 courseware(on CD) and its accompanying ActivEpi Companion Text, Springer Publishers, 2003. This companion text in electronic form is contained on the ActivEpi CD. If you wish, you may purchase a printed version of the companion text here. The previous links allow you to purchase these items directly from Springer. Springer typically offers a 15% discount when you use the order code AECT15 during check out. PLEASE ORDER YOUR COPY IN TIME FOR THE COURSE STARTING DATE!

Software:

None

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Epi 1: Fundamentals of Epidemiology

Instructor(s):
Dates:
June 01, 2012 to July 06, 2012
Course Fee: $499
Academic Discounted Rate: $399

Before registering, please read the syllabus tab, noting the prerequisites, text and software requirements. When you click the register button, you will be taken to our secure transaction page.

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