Bias in Epidemiologic Research
Dr. David G. KleinbaumProf. Nancy Barker
Aim of Course:
This is a second level epidemiology course that emphasizes the underlying concepts and methods for addressing validity and bias issues in epidemiologic research. Topics covered in the course include: overview of validity and bias, selection bias, information bias, and confounding bias. See also the companion courses Fundamentals of Epidemiology and Analysis of Epidemiologic Data.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.For those enrolled in Professional Advancement Programs, this is a required or elective course in the following Programs:
- Biostatistics (epidemiology) - required
Course Program:
The course is structured as followsSESSION 1: Overview of validity and bias
- Examples of validity problems
- Validity versus precision
- A hierarchy of populations
- Internal versus external validity
- Quantitative definition of bias
- Direction of bias
- What can be done about bias
- Selection bias in different study designs
- Examples of selection bias
- Selection ratios and selection probabilities
- Quantitative assessment of selection Bias
- Selection bias in different study designs (cont'd)
- What can be done about selection bias quantitatively
- What can be done about selection bias qualitatively
- What is misclassification bias
- Misclassifying disease and/or exposure
- Misclassification probabilities- sensitivity and specificity
- Non-differential misclassification
- Differential misclassification
- Independent misclassification of disease and exposure
- Quantitative assessment of misclassification bias
- Diagnostic testing and its relationship to misclassification bias
- Predictive value
- Simpson's paradox
- The concept of confounding
- Crude versus adjusted estimates
- Characteristics of adjusted estimates
- Criteria for confounding
- Confounding in different study designs
- Confounding, interaction and effect modification
- Confounding involving several risk factors
- Joint versus marginal confounding
- Variable selection and control of confounding
- Confounding: validity versus precision
The Instructor:
Dr. David G. KleinbaumProf. Nancy Barker,
Organization of the Course:
The course takes place over the internet, at statistics.com. 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 is scheduled to take place over 4 weeks, and typically requires 10-15 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 and work through exercises. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments.Certificates and Grades:
You may be interested only in learning the material presented, and not be concerned with grades or certificates. Or you may be enrolled in a statistics.com Professional Advancement Program that requires demonstration of proficiency in the subject, in which case your work will be assessed for purposes of issuing a grade. Or you may require only a "Certificate 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.Credit:
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), 5.0 CEU's and a certificate will be issued by statistics.com, upon request.Dates:
Sep. 5 - Oct. 3, 2008Click here to be notified of future course offerings.
Participants gain access to the online materials on the first day of the course, and typically spend about 10-15 hours per week (at their convenience). You retain full access to course materials, including discussion board, for two weeks after the course closing date.
Level:
IntermediatePrerequisite:
Course participants should have some previous training or experience in epidemiologic research, in particular, having some knowledge about epidemiologic study designs and measures of frequency and effect. The mathematics level is basic algebra.Course Text:
The required text is ActivEpi, Version 2 and its accompanying ActivEpi Companion Text, Springer Publishers, 2003. 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:
NoneRegistration:
Register Online - $449Register Online (academic) - $349 (you must be affiliated with a college, university or high school)
Add $50 service fee if you require a prior invoice, or if you need to submit a purchase order or voucher, pay by wire transfer or EFT, or refund and reprocess a prior payment. Please use this printed registration form, for these and other special orders.
Note: Courses may fill up at any time and registrations are processed in the order in which they are received. Your registration will be confirmed for the first available course date, unless you specify otherwise.
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