Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Public Health: Demography and Epidemiology
Teaching staff
Students may ask lecturers questions at the end of each class. For enquiries outside of class time, students must make an appointment by email:
PhD. Pere Castellvi Obiols: pcastellvi@uic.es
PhD. Andrea Estefania Miranda: aemiranda@uic.es
PhD. Xavier Corbella: xcorbella@uic.es
PhD. Marta Elorduy: melorduy@uic.es
Introduction
Epidemiology is a scientific discipline in the field of medicine that studies the distribution, frequency, and determinants of disease in human populations.
Public health is the area of science that is responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of the population. They include disciplines such as epidemiology, biostatistics, demography, research methodology, disease prevention, health promotion, health management and policy, or social and behavioral sciences, among other core disciplines in their program; but it also includes cross-curricular skills such as data processing, bioinformatics, cultural diversity, communication, leadership, professionalism, planning and evaluation of health programs and technologies, among others.
It has even given way to subspecialties such as school health, maternal and child health, occupational health, environmental health, health management and the evaluation of medical technologies, among others. In this sense, public health provides health science professionals with the ability to observe existing problems in the population, analyze them and establish an improvement plan.
Pre-course requirements
The student must be familiar with the contents of subjects already taken in the degree of medicine related to this subject such as environmental health and epidemiology, immersion in medicine (II), biostatistics and epidemiological research.
Objectives
• Have the necessary skills to calculate and evaluate the most used epidemiological indicators
• Know the most appropriate study designs according to the research question posed and the prevalence or incidence of the disease
• Know how to calculate and interpret the validity of a diagnostic test
• Differentiate that it is a bias, the random error, when we can infer causality between two variables and know how to identify and control the confusion and calculate the interaction
• Know how to identify the aspects that influence the health of the community, in the prevention of the disease and in the promotion of healthy habits and lifestyles.
• Be able to design and plan strategies for disease prevention and health promotion in different areas of care and population groups.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 10 - To understand and recognise the agents and risk factors which determine health status, and learn how they determine the symptoms and natural development of acute or chronic diseases in individuals and populations.
- 12 - Understanding the foundations for action, the indications and efficacy of therapeutic interventions, based on available scientific evidence.
- 19 - Propose preventive measures appropriate to each clinical situation.
- 23 - Communicate effectively and clearly, both orally and in writing with patients, family members, media and other professionals.
- 25 - Recognize the determinants of public health; genetic and sex-dependent lifestyle, demographic, environmental, social, economic, psychological and cultural determinants.
- 26 - Assume role in the prevention and protection from diseases, injuries or accidents and maintenance and promotion of health, both individual and at the community level.
- 27 - Recognize role in multidisciplinary teams, assuming leadership when appropriate, for the delivery of health care, such as interventions for health promotion.
- 28 - Obtaining and using epidemiological data and assess trends and risks in health related decision-making.
- 29 - Understand national and international health organisations, and the environments and conditions of the different health care systems.
- 31 - Understand, critically evaluate and know how to use sources of clinical and biomedical information to obtain, organize, interpret and communicate scientific and health care information.
- CTP-3 - To develop critical thinking and reasoning as well as self-assessment skills.
- CTS-1 - To know the principles of leadership and decision making in ordinary situations or in conflicts with and between various ethical, legal and professional elements.
- CTS-2 - To demonstrate sensitivity to environmental issues and act accordingly.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students must be able to:
• Calculate and interpret the distributions and risks associated between a risk factor and a disease.
• Know how to differentiate each of the existing study designs and choose appropriately when developing a research project
• Know and differentiate each of the necessary terms in epidemiology such as causation, bias, random error, confusion and interaction
• Identify and analyze the aspects that influence the health of the community, the prevention of the disease and the promotion of healthy habits and lifestyles.
• Design, plan and evaluate strategies for disease prevention and health promotion in different areas of care and population groups.
Syllabus
Part I. Epidemiology. Measurement methods and instruments.
T1.- Introduction to Epidemiology
T2.- Measures and Indicators
Case method 1.- Calculation of Measures and Indicators
T3.- Design of studies
Case method 2.- Study design
Case method 3.- Design of studies: Systematic review with RevMan
T4.- Diagnostic tests
Case method 4.- Diagnostic tests
T5.- Causality, Error, Bias, Confusion and Interaction
Part II. Public Health Strategies: promotion, prevention and management
T6.- Natural history of the disease
Case method 5.- Natural history of the disease
T7.- Communicable diseases
Case method 6.- Study of an epidemic outbreak
T8.- Determinants of health
Case method 7.- Geospatial analysis with GeoDa
T9.- Health organization and quality of care
Case method 8.- The role of coding in the healthcare organization
T10.- Health promotion and disease prevention
T11.- Public Health Surveillance
Bibliography and resources
Compulsory bibliography:
The compulsory bibliography will be specific chapters of the following books that will be reported during the semester:
David Celentano, Moyses Szklo. Gordis. Epidemiology (6th Edition). Barcelona: Elsevier, 2019.
Kenneth J. Rothman. Modern epidemiology. Madrid: Diaz de Santos, 1987
Piédrola Gil. Preventive medicine and public health (12th Edition). Barcelona: Elsevier, 2016.
Grant S. Fletcher. Clinical Epidemiology (6th Edition). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2021.
Optional bibliography:
During the course specific bibliography of certain contents of the subject will be provided.
Evaluation period
- E1 03/06/2022 18:30h
- E2 12/07/2022 16:30h