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Epidemiology

Objectives

At the end of the study Unit the students will have to be capable to:
– Describe the historical origin, purpose and main present uses of epidemiology in the field of health, namely in Public Health;
– Recognize the main phases of the epidemiological approach aimed at the identification, quantification, monitoring, surveillance and promotion the health state and health level of a population;
– Calculate, describe, interpret and communicate the epidemiologic measures of frequency, particularly measures of incidence and prevalence (and its variants), of the population health problems, and of the factors that determine the levels of health, disease and disability in the population;
- Compare in space and time epidemiological measures of frequency of the state and level of health, disease, disability, and its associated factors, using appropriate techniques of comparison and projection of those measures in the future, including as population health indicators of morbidity and mortality;
– Define the concept of risk and its main variants, and, in particular be able to calculate, interpret and communicate the epidemiological measures of risk, absolute, relative and attributable, as well as know to extract its implications for the knowledge, prioritization and impact evaluation of Public Health and interventions, particularly in the realm of the management and administration of health, health promotion, functionality and well-being, and the prevention of disease and disability;
– Describe the main types and design of epidemiological studies, observational and experimental, and differentiate its descriptive and analytical aspects, the indications and conditionings for its application, the calculus and interpretation of the derived measures, as well as the points to consider for the appreciation of the validity of each study type for Public Health research and health services research;

- Define the concept and types of screening, justify its use for prevention, describe the conditions for its implementation and for the evaluation of its quality and effects, including the calculation and interpretation the measures of the validity of screening tests and its potential bias;
– Identify and describe the sources and types of error relevant for the correct design, planning, implementation and analysis of epidemiological studies, as well as for the correct interpretation, causal inference and communication of the results of those studies to specific target audiences;
– Identify and justify the role of epidemiology approach and epidemiological methods in health and Public Health, specifically in health management and administration, health promotion, and in Public Health and health services research.

General characterization

Code

429

Credits

4.0

Responsible teacher

Andreia Heitor Martins da Cunha Leite, Carlos Manuel Matias Dias

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - 40

Teaching language

Português

Prerequisites

Registration in one of the master courses at the National School of Public Health.

Bibliography

-BEAGLHOLE, R.; BONITA, R.; KJELSTROM, T – Basic Epidemiology – 2nd Ed. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2006.
– PORTA, M.; GREENLAND, S; LAST, JOHN M., eds. - A Dictionary of Epidemiology. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2008.
– GORDIS, L. Epidemiologia, 4ª ed. Loures. Lusodidacta. 2011.
– FRIIS, R; SELLERS, T – Epidemiology for Public Health practice. 5th Ed. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett; 2014.
– BRIZ, T – Epidemiologia e Saúde Pública. RPSP, Número Especial 25 Anos, 2009, p.35-50.

Teaching method

- Differentiated format in accordance with the contents of each in-class session, with of learning sessions of theoretical exposition aided by audio-visual materials, and theoretical-practical sessions of analysis, debate and resolution of case studies in the class-room guided by the teacher but with intervention of students;
- Individual resolution of worksheets on some thematic areas.
- Individual worksheets with written presentation (30% of the final mark);
- Individual written test for learning evaluation (70% the final mark).

Evaluation method

Available soon

Subject matter

1. Definition, historical landmarks and development phases of epidemiology;
2. Design, indications, conditions and limitations, planning, implementation, management, analysis, interpretation and communication of the results of the different types of epidemiological studies, both observational and experimental, in the biomedical area, specifically in clinical and Public Health areas;
3. Design, indications, conditions and limitations, planning, implementation, management, analysis, interpretation and communication of the results of the different types of epidemiological observational descriptive studies;
4. Calculation, analysis, comparison, interpretation and communication of epidemiological measures of frequency and its variants in the field of communicable and non-communicable diseases and its use in the case of health indicators;
5. Design, indications, conditions and limitations, planning, implementation, management, analysis, interpretation and communication of the results of the different types of epidemiological analytical studies;
6. Calculation, analysis, comparison, interpretation and communication of epidemiological measures of association and impact;
7. Exposure and outcome measurement in health;
8. Types of error in epidemiology including bias and confounding, and techniques for its elimination and control;
9. Measures of association, measures of risk and measures of impact: its relationship and role in risk evaluation, risk management and risk communication.
10. Principles and criteria of causal inference;
11. Principles of management and analysis of epidemiological data;
12. Screening programs: definition, application criteria, measures of validity of screening tests;
13. Sources of information and potential for its integrated use in epidemiology applied to the health diagnosis of the population;
14. Application of epidemiological methods and techniques in public health monitoring and epidemiological surveillance systems, and in the health profiling of a defined population;
15. Design, conduct, analysis and communication of epidemiological studies in emergency and contingency situations in Public Health;

16. Critical appraisal of protocols, reports and articles coming from epidemiological studies.

17.Examples of specific applications of epidemiology in Public Health (infectious-diseases epidemiology, non-communicable disease epidemiology, environmental epidemiology, occupational epidemiology, epidemiology in health services and programs, health management and administration research, pharmaco-epidemiology genetic epidemiology).