PUB HLTH 3501 - Epidemiology in Action III

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

This course focuses on the implementation and interpretation of epidemiological concepts and measures that are routinely used in public health practice. It demonstrates the essential role of epidemiology in monitoring the health of population, detecting health problems among specific populations, and evaluating determinants of health. The strengths and limitations of epidemiology in this context will also be considered. The course will extend students' ability to locate, access, analyse and interpret epidemiological information. This learning will occur through the review and integration of topics related to epidemiology, public health and biostatistics, including tutorial/practical activities to reinforce the concepts and techniques discussed in lectures. At the end of this course the students will be able to apply epidemiological reasoning to public health problems, interpret the epidemiological information contained in scientific literature and to communicate these interpretations to both lay and professional audiences.

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Course Details

Course Code	PUB HLTH 3501
Course	Epidemiology in Action III
Coordinating Unit	Public Health
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	PUB HLTH 2005
Assumed Knowledge	PUB HLTH 2100
Assessment	Written assignments, quizzes and exam

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr David Gonzalez-Chica

Course Coordinator: David Gonzalez
Phone: 8313 1631
Email: david.gonzalez@adelaide.edu.au
Location: Level 11, 178 North Terrace

Learning and Teaching Team
Phone: +61 8313 2128
Email: undergrad_enq@adelaide.edu.au

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Locate, access and interpret the epidemiological information contained in reports and the health literature, including systematic reviews, using epidemiological terminology correctly and contextually.
2	Recognise the epidemiological principles underlying public health activities such as infectious disease management and the assessment of health interventions
3	Demonstrate capacity to describe the process of health data collection and the principles measures used to describe health patterns, as well as to review some sources of bias, such as confounding, selection and measurement error
4	Appraise the suitability of each epidemiological study design to address questions that typically arise in public health, present persuasive arguments for the need for biostatistics in analysing and interpreting data, and elicit the strengths and limitations of quantitative research in public health
5	Use appropriately the terminology of association and causality in epidemiology, as well as some of the principal statistical methods used to control for confounding
6	Synthesise health information from a variety of sources and report their findings clearly in an audience-appropriate manner

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1-6
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1-6
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	4-6
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	4-6
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	1, 4, 6
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	1-6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Each week there will be assigned chapters of books, reports and/or other relevant material to provide background to and complement the lectures and practical sessions. You will be expected to have read this material before class. Required readings are available via a reading list on MyUni.

Recommended Resources

For most of the activities in this course, two books will be the principal sources for consultation:

1. Katz D, Wild D, Elmore E, Lucan S. Jekel's Epidemiology, biostatistics, preventive medicine, and public health. 4th edn. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2014.

2. Gordis L. Epidemiology with student consult online access, 5th edition. Elsevier Health Sciences. UK. 2013.

These materials have free online access to 成人大片 students, and the student can purchase for reading or printing from the Library Search Service of the 成人大片.

Other essentials readings will be available in electronic format through MyUni.

Online Learning

We assume that you have access to student e-mail and that your address is the 成人大片 student’s e-mail address that was assigned to you on enrolment. We will send our messages to your official 成人大片 student e-mail address and assume that you read your e-mail.

MyUni is the primary entry point to online learning at the 成人大片. MyUni will be used to provide students with access to course materials, announcements, and other features to assist your study.

For enquiries about online education services, access and other problems, contact the Online Education Helpdesk. Phone: 8313 3000 E-mail: servicedesk@adelaide.edu.au

Learning & Teaching Modes

In this course there are a number of teaching and learning modes. Lectures are intended to introduce concepts and illustrate their use. Tutorials and Computing Practicals provide an interactive forum to apply concepts from lectures and clarify understanding. In the series of computer practicals Stata software and Microsoft Excel will be used to analyse data. A Quiz facilitates understanding of fundamental concepts and allow for identification of areas requiring further study prior to undertaking other assessments. Assignments provide an opportunity for application and exploration of key concepts, for wider reading and for synthesis of concepts and literature. The exam provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learnt, drawing together concepts and showing that they understand the interrelated nature of epidemiology, public health, and biostatistics.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Teaching in Epidemiology in Action begins with the assumption that students are active participants in the learning process, rather than passive recipients of information. We assume that you are willing and able to prepare fully for classes, to participate in discussions, and to carry out your tasks.

As a general rule, in any university course you will need to allow a minimum of three independent study hours for every hour undertaken in formal class work contact. This means that you will have to set aside at least a further nine hours per week for reading around topics, preparation for class activities, and work on assignments.

Learning Activities Summary


Topic	Lecture
Introduction to Epidemiology in Action	Epidemiology in action: Where do we come? Where are we going?
Using and interpreting population data	Using secondary data for public health purposes
Investigating infectious diseases in the population	Endemic diseases and investigation of outbreaks-epidemics
Screening as a tool for public health practice	Diagnostic tests and evaluation of effective screening programs
Assessment of risk and determinants of health	Use of different epidemiological study designs for public health purposes
Sources of error in epidemiological research	Dealing with confounding, selection and measurement error
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses	Searching and interpreting systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Specific Course Requirements

In this course we will be performing calculations, using simple software to perform basic statistical analysis and interpreting computer- generated results. Thus, students need a solid background in maths, usually to year 11 secondary level, in combination with a good grasp of the material covered in Investigating Health and Disease in Populations II.

Small Group Discovery Experience

Small group discussions and group written tasks will be included as an important component of the activities in this course.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Asessment Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome(s) being addressed
Participation	Summative	5%	1-6
Quizzes	Summative	10%	1-5
Essay 1	Summative	15%	1, 3, 6
Essay 2	Summative	25%	1 3-6
Exam	Summative	45%	1-6

Assessment Related Requirements

Students must have attended a minimum of 75% of the practical/tutorials (9 of 12), submitted both essays and obtained a minimum score of 50% in each, and sit the final exam in order to pass the course. A practical/tutorial which is not attended but for which the student submits a medical certificate will not be computed as missed.

Assessment Detail

Participation will be evaluated considering group or individual written tasks or questions performed during some of the practical/tutorials and lectures. All activities will be computed together to represent 5% of a student’s overall mark. An activity which is not completed but for which the student submits a medical certificate will not be counted for marking.

There will be two Quizzes covering material of lectures and practicals. The first quiz will focus on the use and interpretation of secondary data. The second quiz will emphasise the contents about association and causality in epidemiology. The questions will be multiple choice and short answers.

The Quizzes will be held online on the dates indicated in the Course Handbook. Alternative quiz times will only be arranged where students cannot complete it for medical or genuine compassionate grounds and have documentary supporting evidence (such as a medical certificate).

There will be two written assignments. Essay 1 will focus on the reporting and interpreting secondary data (1500 words). Essay 2 will emphasise on the evaluation of risk/protection variables and determinants of health (1500 words essay and a half page summary for a non-academic audience).

There will be a closed book Exam at the end of the course comprising a mix of short answer questions, extended sets of questions around specific scenarios, some basic statistical calculations, and interpreting excerpts from published studies, abstracts and/or reports.

Submission

Extensions
All extensions for assignments must be requested, at the latest, by the last working day before the due date of submission. Extensions will generally be granted only on medical or genuine compassionate grounds. Supporting documentation must be provided at the time a student requests an extension. Without documentation, extensions will not be granted. Late requests for extension will neither be accepted nor acknowledged.

Only the Course Co-ordinator(s) may grant extensions.

Supporting documentation will be required when requesting an extension. Examples of documents that are acceptable include: a medical certificate that specifies dates of incapacity, a police report (in the case of lost computers, car & household theft etc.), a letter from a Student Counsellor, Education and Welfare Officer (EWO) or Disability Liaison Officer that provides an assessment of compassionate circumstances, or a letter from an independent external counsellor or appropriate professional able to verify the student’s situation. The length of any extension granted will take into account the period and severity of any incapacity or impact on the student. Extensions of more than 10 days will not be granted except in exceptional circumstances.

Late submission
Marks will be deducted when assignments for which no extension has been granted are handed in late.

All assignments, including those handed in late, will be assessed on their merits. In the case of late assignments where no extension has been granted, 5 percentage points of the total marks possible per day will be deducted. If an assignment that is 2 days late is awarded 65% on its merits, the mark will then be reduced by 10% (5% per day for 2 days) to 55%. If that same assignment is 4 days late, the mark will be reduced by 20% (5% per day for 4 days) to 45%, and so on.

The School of Public Health reserves the right to refuse to accept an assignment that is more than 7 days late.

Assignments submitted after the due date may not be graded in time to be returned on the listed return dates.

Students submitting examinable written work who request (and receive) an extension that takes them beyond the examination period are advised that there is no guarantee that their grades will be processed in time to meet usual University deadlines.

Resubmission
If a student is dissatisfied with an assessment grade they should follow the Student Grievance Resolution Process </student/grievance/process/>. Students who are not satisfied with a particular assessment result should raise their concerns with Course Co-ordinator(s) in the first instance. This must be done within 10 business days of the date of notification of the result. Resubmission of any assignment is subject to the agreement of the Course Co-ordinator(s) and will only be permitted for the most compelling of reasons.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 成人大片 is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 成人大片 therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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